A few days ago, we celebrated Mother’s Day—a special occasion honoring women chosen by God to be mothers, whether through pregnancy or adoption. Yet, the blessing of raising children goes beyond biology. As women, we are also called to be spiritual mothers, extending love, guidance, and care to any child in need. Yet for some women who are spiritual mothers and not biological mothers, the pain of Mother’s Day is a reminder of a heart’s desire that has yet to come to fruition.
Mothers deserve to be celebrated for all they do. However, in our recognition of motherhood, we often overlook the Rachels of the world—women whose hearts ache for a child of their own. Like Jacob (Rachel’s husband), many of us struggle to grasp the depth of this longing, a desire so profound that it consumes the soul, leaving little space for anything else. Their pain is real, their love unyielding, and their struggle is one that deserves compassion even as we celebrate motherhood.
Rachel’s Story
If we look deeper into Rachel’s story in the book of Genesis, we see a woman whose longing for a child consumed her so completely that she offered her maidservant to her husband, hoping it would bring her the joy of motherhood. Her heartache was so overwhelming that it left little room for the God Jacob so often spoke of—the God of Israel, who had promised to be faithful to Jacob and his family. Though Rachel had heard stories of the Lord’s provision and steadfast love, her deep desire for motherhood overshadowed any desire to know this God of Jacob on her own.
However, in her pain and desperation, I assume Rachel finally reached her breaking point. From the deepest recesses of her heart, she cried out—not to the gods of her father’s house, but to the God of Jacob, the God of Israel. She knew only this: that she was helpless, and if any power could intervene in her situation, it would have to come from the divine. I imagine she poured out her soul, pleading with the Almighty to open her womb. And God, in His mercy, heard her. The Bible says: “Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore a son, and said, ‘God has taken away my reproach.’ So she called his name Joseph” (Genesis 30:22-24).
When God listened to Rachel, as the Bible says, Rachel experienced something beyond herself. It was as if the divine hand of Jesus Christ reached down and touched her barren soul. A touch so powerful that it comforts, humbles, and draws us closer to God. As a result, God remembered her, and she conceived.
Rachel’s Struggle
When she gave birth to a strong, healthy son, she named him Joseph, meaning “May He add” (Genesis 30:24). Her heart felt blessed, and for a season, she could bask in the grace and mercy of the Lord; for she had every reason to offer praise, to lift her voice like the psalmist and say, “Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD!… He grants the barren woman a home, Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 113:1, 9).
However, instead of fully turning toward God in gratitude, Rachel’s heart remained stuck on her own desires. Rather than reveling in the miracle of her son, Joseph, and thanking God for His graciousness, she immediately shifted her focus to wanting more. “The Lord shall add to me another son” were her words. The joy of her answered prayer was short-lived, as her desire for more prevented her from fully surrendering to the God who had heard her cries.
Rachel’s story is one of divine intervention but also of our frailty as human beings. God’s mercy reached down into her brokenness and blessed her. Yet even in the midst of being blessed, she struggled with truly grasping the depth of her blessing.
Our Desire and God’s Will
Rachel’s life reminds us of the struggle between our desires and God’s will, between receiving blessings and fully trusting the Giver of those blessings. Even when God answers or doesn’t answer our deepest prayers, we must remain grateful, trusting that His provision is enough and that He alone can satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts.
Motherhood, in all its forms (biological, adoptive, and spiritual), is a divine privilege, a reflection of grace that reaches far beyond our own homes.
A Call to Action
Embrace Spiritual Motherhood: Your nurturing spirit matters; whether mentoring young women, guiding children in faith, or offering support to a struggling mother, your care and concern can transform lives.
Hold onto Hope: If you desire to be a mother, know that you are not alone. Surround yourself with women who understand this desire—women who can offer comfort, encouragement, and strength when needed.
The waiting may be painful, but trust that God sees you. He has not forgotten your prayers, and in His perfect timing, He brings beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3).
Your Power Verse
“As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will comfort you;
And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” ~Isaiah 66:13
