4 Bible Stories for Infertility – Encouraging Women of Faith

There are so many Bible Stories for Infertility all throughout Scripture. Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and Elisabeth. The list is long! All of these women were barren at some point in their lives. Their empty wombs weren’t a consequence of anything they had done. Infertility was a result of the fall.

Despite our world’s broken state, God was sovereign over each one of these women’s lives and He opened their wombs in His timing. He worked all things for their good and His glory – He does the same for us today!

Stories in the Bible about Infertility

There are many couples in the Bible that have suffered with infertility. Check out how God worked for good in the lives of these people!

Abraham & Sarah (Genesis 17, 15-21)

What Happened: Abram was 90 years old when God appeared to Him and made Him a promise. Abram and Sarai were childless in their old age. God promised Abram that He would make him the father of many nations. How? He was old and had no kids. Abram trusted God. In accordance with God’s promise, Abram’s named was changed to Abraham.

“Father to Father of Many.” Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah. “Princess” to “Mother of Nations.” God was faithful to His promise. Not long after the promise was given, Isaac was born. Later on, through Abraham’s lineage, the Savior would be born.

Life Lesson: God is faithful to His promises.

Application: God is trustworthy. Any promise He has made, He will keep. We can trust that He is working for our good and His glory, even when we cannot see it.

Isaac & Rebekah (Genesis 25)

What Happened: We learned earlier that Isaac was birthed from God’s faithfulness to Abraham and Sarah. Like her mother-in-law, Rebekah was also childless. At age 40, Isaac went before the Lord in prayer on behalf of Rebekah. He prayed for God to open her womb and grow their family. Not long after, Rebekah became pregnant with Jacob and Esau.

Life Lesson: God answers prayer.

Application: We can go before the Lord, knowing that He always hears our prayers. Even when His answer is “wait” or “know,” we can trust that His plan is best.

Hannah & Elkanah (1 Samuel 1)

What Happened: Girls, I feel for Hannah. Not only did she struggle with infertility, but her husband’s other wife made fun of her all of the time. Can you imagine the pain in her heart? Thankfully, God heard her cries for a child. She bore Samuel, because of God’s faithfulness she dedicated him to the Lord. Samuel served God faithfully all the days of his life.

Life Lesson: God hears the cries of our hearts. // We need to honor Him in His faithfulness to us.

Application: If the Lord blesses us with children, our responsibility as parents is to raise them in accordance with His Word. We are faithful in response to His faithfulness.

[Here are 5 Fertility Prayers to Guide You in Prayer]

Elisabeth & Zachariah (Luke 1)

What Happened: This is yet another story of a couple remaining infertile until old age. God shows them His greatness when He sends a messenger to share amazing news. They were going to have a son who would be the forerunner for the coming Messiah. He would tell people that the time has come to repent, be baptized, and follow Christ.

Life Lesson: God opens wombs in His timing.

Application: We can trust God’s plan. Elisabeth and Zachariah had a son at just the right time, before the Messiah came.

Women in the Bible Who Struggled with Infertility

We can learn a lot about the character of God by looking at how He has worked in the past. Consider these Bible Stories for Infertility. These women all struggled with infertility and God answered every single one of their cries in accordance with His very good plan.

Sarah

We talked about the story of Abraham and Sarah earlier. Sarah actually laughed when Abraham came back and told her what God had promised. How was an old, barren woman supposed to become to mother of many nations? Why would God wait to open her womb until then?

I cannot help but think we are supposed to learn an important lesson about trusting God’s timing. He is completely sovereign over everything in creation. When He calls us to trust in in something that seems impossible, He will act in accordance with our obedience to His call.

Rachel

What can we learn from Rachel? Life is hard when you’re the pretty sister. Kidding, but if you haven’t heard the story, go look it up. Rachel was barren, while her sister Leah had a crazy amount of sons with their – yes their – husband.

Hannah

Sweet Hannah, we feel ya, girl. She was completely consumed by her barren womb. Hannah cried out to the Lord over and over again for a son. She was so depressed that sometimes she wouldn’t even eat. At the Temple, Hannah went before the Lord, begging Him for a son.

She was so distraught, that the priest thought she was drunk. God heard Hannah’s pleas and He hears ours too. He knows the deepest desires and pains in our heart. He was near to Hannah and He is near to us.

[An answer to your question… God Why Haven’t You Given Me a Baby?]

Michal

Not much is mentioned in Scripture about Michal. All we really know is that she was a daughter of Saul and was childless. Scripture says that she had no children “to the day of her death.” This has to have some importance for it to be mentioned in Scripture. Saul and his sons all died in battle.

Since Michal had no children, there were no descendants of Saul to take the throne. David stepped into His role as King and from his reign came Christ. So cool! Proof that even in infertility, God has an amazing story that He is writing.

Bible Verses for Infertility

Clinging to the Truth found in God’s Word is an amazing way to find encouragement as we learn to trust God’s very good plan. Check out these amazing verses below.

We use the WEB version of Scripture, but feel free to use your favorite.

Genesis 1:28

“God blessed them. God said to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”

Psalm 127:3

“Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward.”

[Check out these Devotionals for Infertility!]

Philippians 4:6-7

“In nothing be anxious, but in everything, prayer and petitions with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.”

Psalm 37:4-7

“Also delight yourself in Yahweh, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to Him, and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun. Rest in Yahweh, and wait patiently for Him. Don’t fret because of Him who prospers in His way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.”

[Want more Psalms on Fertility? – Here are 13 More!]

Remember God’s Got This…

If you just browsed through the ladies mentioned above, I want you to go back and read them again. There is so much encouragement in these infertility bible stories.

God made a promise to Sarah and was faithful to fulfill it. Through the lineage of that promised child, another Promised Child would one day be born – Jesus Christ.
Rachel and Hannah were both given children after pouring out their hearts before the Lord. God cares about the cries of our hearts. He is a good Father.
Now for Michal. God never opened her womb. If she cried out for a child, God heard her and cared for her, but His answer was “No.” Her infertility was used for good. Saul had no descendants for the throne, so David took his place as King. One day, through David’s lineage, a Greater King would come – a King that would save the world.

[How to Deal with Everyone Getting Pregnant… Except you.]

God is so good and faithful. Even when we can’t see Him, we can trust that He never stops working all things for good. I hope these Bible Stories for Infertility encourage your heart. I hope you can rest knowing the God is faithful, He hears your heart, and He is working for good. Trust Him, sister.