Know the Truth: 7-Day Devotional for NICU ParentsSample

Lie #5 - My baby will be in the NICU forever.

The Truth: This is a temporary season.

I remember feeling so angry! I’m tired of my baby being here in the NICU. When can I take him home? The answer from the doctors and nurses was always so vague. “We need to see more development” or “We want him to be a bit more stable.” OK, so how long will that take? It seemed like no one would give me a specific answer! One day a nurse pulled me to the side and said, “The doctors don’t like to predict a release date because it’s devastating to parents if the date is not accurate.”

Her honesty was bittersweet. I kept thinking, “My baby will do much better at home than in a hospital! Who likes being in a hospital?” I had to fight the feeling that my baby would never come home.

Prosper shared a room with another sweet baby, a little girl. My husband and I became friends with her mom, who had to travel a long way to be with her child. We would often chat if we were ever visiting our babies at the same time. One day, this mom was in tears because the doctors shared that her baby was not ready to go home based on some recent incidents. Her child had been in the NICU for almost two months. My baby had been there only two weeks and I was complaining. That day changed my perspective. If this mother can endure two months of her baby being here, why am I complaining after two weeks? Now don’t get me wrong. Whether your child is in the NICU for two months, two weeks or two days, it can seem like forever. But know that your child will not be there forever. 2 Corinthians 4:7 says, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”

My season as a NICU parent was one of the most challenging times of my life. Yet, when I look back, I’m thankful for what I gained as a result. My compassion grew substantially for NICU babies, their parents, and the nurses and doctors who care for them. My patience grew as well, as I learned to trust in God’s timing. Romans 3:5 says, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. God doesn’t enjoy seeing us in pain, but He allows the suffering because He sees the big picture. He sees how a painful experience can draw us closer to Him and cause us to be more like Jesus.

Reflection:

In the middle of a challenging season, sometimes it’s hard to see what good can come from it. Seeing the good, even when you feel bad, is a process. Describe one thing you are thankful for today and consider why.