The “Why didn’t God stop me from having an abortion?” The question is often asked by those who know that God is sovereign over all things. And when the question is asked, it is because God knew that:
The abortion of my baby would lead to depression and possibly suicidal ideation and attempts.
The abortion would leave me sterile and unable to become pregnant again or contribute to other physical health injuries/issues.
The abortion would have a negative impact on my relationship with the father of my baby or would destroy my relationship with the father of my baby.
Thoughts of my abortion would lead me to becoming addicted to (fill in the blank) in order to numb the pain.
My relationship with subsequent children would be affected by my abortion.
My abortion would lead to feelings of guilt and shame.
My abortion would leave me overwhelmed with grief over the loss of my child….
Because God is sovereign and knows everything that will take place after a woman aborts her baby, it becomes easy to see him as a tyrant in this situation. After all, God is all powerful and all knowing, and he is supposed to care about people and want what is best for them. Aborting the baby may have solved the immediate issue of an unplanned pregnancy, but the fallout was just as unplanned.
Often when the question is asked, there is no consideration of the ways God may have tried to intervene to stop the abortion. As we look at the ways in which God has worked when it comes to the death of another, we do not see a clear pattern unfolding. The very first death recorded in the Bible was Cain killing his brother Abel. God did not stop it. But he warned Cain in Genesis 4:7 (ESV) before it happened that “…sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” (Emphasis mine). Or, how about the edict of the Pharaoh in Egypt that called for the killing of the male babies of the Hebrews, but the life of Moses was spared when the midwives did not do as ordered. And even Moses, whose life was spared, would end up killing an Egyptian.
Sure, God could have spoken in a loud audible voice and say “STOP! DON’T KILL YOUR BABY!” He could have encouraged the baby’s father to plead with the mother not to go through with the abortion, knowing it would have made all the difference in the world. He could have shut down the abortion clinic knowing it would be impossible for the woman to go elsewhere. There are many miraculous interventions that could have kept a woman from going through with the abortion. But how many of the non-miraculous ways did God use to warn against abortion that were ignored? What about
I know this is wrong and I should not go through with it.
The waiting period that allowed for a change of mind.
The cost.
The pro-life signs and advocates imploring against it.
There are no clear answers to why God did not stop a woman from having an abortion. But God, in his sovereignty, was not surprised when she went through with it.
It is clear though that God does love and care for people, even those who abort their children. He demonstrated his care by sending his son to pay the penalty for the sins of all humankind. Before the first person walked the earth, God planned the death of his son to forgive humankind of their sin (including abortion) and save them from eternal punishment for sin. So, when we consider that he did not spare his own son from death, we really should hesitate to question why he did not stop an abortion. Also, it cannot be overlooked that all humankind has been given free will by God to choose to do or not to do something. While it is easy to shift the blame to God when he could have stopped an abortion (or any other wrong for that matter), ultimately, the responsibility lies with humankind who can choose to stop an abortion.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article written specifically for those healing from abortion. Sometimes, an abortion experience can create intense emotions that you may not feel equipped to manage on your own. If you are new to a healing journey or want to talk to an experienced advocate, please visit
https://www.memorialfortheunborn.org/resources/healing-programs. If you are thinking or planning to harm yourself, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) for immediate help.
National Memorial for the Unborn
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