Sorry to borrow a phrase from myth-peddler, Al Gore. But there is an inconvenient truth about abortion sidewalk counseling I didn’t want to believe was true.
Veteran sidewalk counselors tried to warn me up front. I tried to ignore them. I didn’t want them to be correct.
For, if what they said was true, it would surely be deflating. It would also stand opposed to my immense ego and overconfidence in my power of dissuasion.
What am I referring to? What was this inconvenient truth about abortion sidewalk counseling I didn’t want to accept?
It was this: my presence at the abortion center that day may not save a child that day, but may help to save a child conceived in the future.
In other words, the pregnant mothers going in for an abortion that day may all go forward with having their own children slaughtered. But, perhaps, one or more of them will remember me and the other pro-lifers’ peaceful presence on that unforgettable day.
And if they become pregnant once again, and if they are considering an abortion once more, by God’s grace they will instead give birth.
They will have the experience of the pain of the aftermath from an abortion. Then some will remember that peaceful pro-lifers stood outside the abortion clinic that day. Many will regret not listening to the sidewalk counselors outside the clinic.
And, by the grace of God, a number of them will choose life for their next child–on account of the sidewalk counselors and prayer warriors that were there the last time they went forward with the abortion.
This was hard to accept for me. I wanted to believe that I had the power to dissuade most every person entering the clinic. I thought the Holy Spirit would see to it that my prayers would prove the difference between the babies living and dying.
And on that last point, I believe some were allowed to live, on account of my prayers. But not all of them, sadly.
That fact took me a long, long time to accept.
What keeps me showing up to prayer outside the facilities of abortion providers is simple.
I realize I likely will not save all the children from death that day. I won’t dissuade every mother from committing an act they will regret the rest of their lives. I might not even save a single one of them each time I go out.
Instead, I had to trust God that, although I may never receive any consolations for me efforts, He will honor my prayers. As Blessed Mother Teresa famously remarked, we are not called to be successful, only faithful.
We have to leave the results up to God. To the detriment of my pride.
YOUR TURN
Have you given much thought to this inconvenient truth about abortion sidewalk counseling in the past?
I invite you to please share any thoughts you may have below in the comments.
