In a season of waiting, there is the temptation to feel abandoned. What crosses your mind is – giving up. Hopelessness can invade your heart. Believing God’s Truth can be so difficult. Waiting seasons can be prayerless if the heart is not protected. But, how do we protect our hearts from the heartache? We hear truth.

The Holy Spirit speaks Truth to us when we are willing to hear it, and especially in the valley of dark shadows. In earnest prayer, we have to be sure we are hearing accurately. Check out a post (6-4-2020) by a FaceBook infertility support group called Waiting For Baby Bird that partially reads, “Infertility can make you feel picked on, left out and abandoned by God. Especially when we look around and it seems as though everyone has been given the blessing that you so desperately cry out for in prayer… Therefore, in this season of waiting when your feelings are telling you one thing, allow the Truth of His Word to become what you believe.” Hear accurately from God’s Spirit.

Hear this. Favoritism is not of God. In His unchanging lovingkindness, He does not operate in a way that wantonly takes away from one to give to another. Even in the moments when you feel that favoritism is on display as you see expectant moms around you. As we understand it, favoritism is the “practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to someone at the expense of another.” While favoritism is not part of God’s character – in a way, at the one-time expense of His Son, Jesus Christ, God gave preferential treatment to the entire world through one loving act, however remaining fair and just.

Acts 10:34-35 says, “Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.’ ” You may have to remind yourself that God doesn’t play favorites. And that His plans and purposes are higher than ours. Yet, in a season of waiting, it is not an easy thing to acknowledge that God’s plans and purposes are higher than ours. Hasn’t He put the desire to have a family in each one of us? Isn’t procreation His amazing design?

Psalm 5:11-12 says, “But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You. For surely, O Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.” Quite a different thought is favor – God’s favor. Favor is “an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual.” God’s one-time preferential treatment to the entire world through Jesus Christ is His favor.

God’s promises are trustworthy. In this season, remind yourself that you can still experience joy and gladness in your waiting because your focus is on the grace of God. You can still rejoice because you know God is working His purposes in your situation. You can still experience God’s blessing by drawing your strength and courage from Him. You can still embrace His favor, because no matter what the outcome of your circumstances, you are still surrounded by the shield of His great love. As you wait, hear from Him accurately.