I would love to read your thoughts...

I am a mom of 6 children. I have always believed that children are a heritage of the Lord Psalm 127:3Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
I have also had the stand that couples shouldn't use birth control because God made us to reproduce and have babies. Well I felt that way until last year. My faith was shattered and I have changed my view on things. I do feel guilty about birth control but if we did not use I would probably have a baby a year. I have a 1 month old and some very horrible things happened during my last pregnancy and I thought I was not going to survive the pregnancy. More emotional than physical issues. I struggle with the idea that God gives us babies when there are non christians, athiest who have children. They don't seek God in it but they still get pregnant. I don't wanna be wishy washy in my thinking. I would love to have more kids but I am horrified of being able to take care of them all and if I could handle it emotionally and physically. Am I turning my back on God because I don't trust in this area anymore? Should I just have a baby a year? I don't have kids because I want to please God. I have them because I love children and have always wanted a big family. Please no bashing here. I would love to see some thoughts here.

Do you just have as many kids as you can till you die or do you use BC without feeling like you are stopping what God intended to be beautiful. I'm feeling very confused on this one. Thanks for your input.

It's a very split topic and could result in a lot of debate. My husband and I (for now at least) dont use medical birth control, but we use natural means (pulling out or pay attention to my cycle). We have two children right now (one in utero) but I dont know what we'd do once we got to 3. God said to multiply, so I do think it's great for God's people to have children. Any amount is multiplying the family line rather than ending it. But to pop out dozens of kids just because, isnt the best thing unless you have the means or calling to do so. I have nothing against families who choose to do this. If anyone should be procreating, it's the people of God in my estimate. But on the other hand, if a family cant have children then they cant have them. There is always adoption and there is even hope for the barren woman who cannot have children because she can still multiply in the sense of GOd's kingdom (new believers, training up/discipling etc).

That's my quick take on it. But I do believe just knowing the GOd we serve, that He also gave common sense.

P.S. As far as the account of the dude who spilled seed (cant remember his name at the moment), it was rebellion because God specifically wanted him to get his brother's sister pregnant to preserve her seed and bless her. But he refused to do so. I dont know if its wise to apply this particular scene to EVERY circumstance across the board. It kinda sounds like taking Scripture out of context. But I do believe if you can have children, have at least 1-2 if circumstances allow. And of course, pray about everything.

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I say go for it.

I think it's important to have children, however I think since you already have 6 children you can use it to wait in between if you want to have more kids. But important things to remember are if your healthy enough and if that will be financially good for you if you do decide to have more. God doesn't want you to put yourself in danger, so I think it's a matter of how you feel and how your body feels. :]

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I have a lot of trouble with that philosophy too, because we as Christians don't take a hands-off approach like that in everything. We don't sit in the driver's seat of a car with our foot on the gas and wait for God to direct the vehicle where He will. We may pray for direction on where to go each day, but we facilitate the actual movement of the vehicle to get there. And if it starts veering to the right, we don't just decide to travel right; we correct it. I think the decision of how many children to have and when should be planned in prayer, but achieving pregnancy or non-pregnancy requires actively timing relations and ovulation (any number of ways). It's a biological reality, not a mystery. Just because we choose to exercise our biological abilities does not mean it is always right or wise. I think it does mean that God will bless us where we are, but that does not necessarily mean He put us there.

I've heard sermons differentiating between His "perfect will" and "permissive will." He may permit you to have children and bless the decision, even if that was not the ideal situation. But just because it happened doesn't mean it was is perfect will for it to happen. Maybe it just means He gave you the tools and you used them, and it worked... like with any other venture. Simply rolling the dice by ignoring all the biological factors that are necessary for conception, even when you know they exist, is not in my opinion following God's will. It's playing Roulette.

I also think that if birth control was inherently wrong, then the Bible would have at least some indication of that. It's pretty clear that Onan was disobeying a direct commandment given to him, so it's kind of hard to extrapolate Genesis 38:9 to mean that all birth control is wrong. So where is this hands-off philosophy coming from biblically?