I have heard many people say that they feel as though God has forsaken them. Whether it is because their prayers have gone unanswered. Sickness has entered their life or the life of a loved one and seems as though it’s here to stay. Or simply because one of life’s storms has blown in and continued to beat against them. Whatever the reason there are so many people who feel as though God has left them alone in a desolate place. But the Bible tells us in no uncertain terms that our God will never leave or forsake us.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV)
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Joshua 1:9 (ESV)
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
The truth of the matter is that God will never turn His back on His people. But more often than not we as God’s people will forsake ourselves. At least we will cause ourselves to feel as though we have been abandoned. All because of our own personal actions and the thoughts we allow to grow in our minds.
Christians forsake themselves when they give in to the desires of the flesh. The very desires that lead us back into sin and away from God. Ultimately taking us off the path of salvation and eternal life. Placing us instead on that dreaded path that leads to destruction.
James 1:14–15 (ESV)
14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
This can make it feel as though God has left you. But the truth of the matter is that you have brought yourself into that place. God did not forsake you but by turning back to sin you made the choice to abandon all you believed and the God of your salvation. But this is just one way in which we forsake ourselves. The other takes place solely in the mind.
Take for example unanswered prayers, too often when God does not answer a prayer we allow our minds to jump into overdrive. Quickly believing that the Lord has abandoned us. That He no longer cares or loves us all because we have not received the desired answer to our prayers. For some, this can lead to a complete loss of faith. But the truth more often than not is the only reason our prayers have not been answered is that we are praying for the wrong reasons.
James 4:2–4 (ESV)
2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Likewise, it seems more and more people today believe that becoming a Christian is life’s cure-all. That once you become a believer in Christ all your troubles will vanish and the rest of life will be smooth sailing. So when times get hard they immediately begin to question if God is with them. Because they created false hope in their life. Failing to accept the many passages of scripture that speaks of the hard time many Christians will face with God right by their side through it all.
1 Peter 4:12–13 (ESV)
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
John 15:8 (ESV)
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Nothing causes people to feel more forsaken by God than sickness and especially the kind that can lead to death. The mind really becomes the battlefield in those times. Questions of why continually circulate. Thoughts slowly convince you that God no longer cares for you or your family. It soon feels as though the Lord is miles away from the situation and will never return again.
But that simply is not the case. It’s your own thoughts that forsake you. Your own thoughts that give you a sense of abandonment and cause you to overlook the promises of scripture. Death no longer has the sting because we have received eternal life through Jesus Christ. We will leave behind flesh and blood to receive new heavenly bodies. Where pain and suffering will be a thing of the past and we will meet Jesus face to face.
1 Corinthians 15:55–57 (ESV)
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 (ESV)
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Revelation 21:4 (ESV)
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Any of the situations listed above and many not mentioned can make you feel as though you have been abandoned by God. Which is exactly what the enemy wants. The devil wants you to question God and His word. All in the hopes that you will forsake yourself because even he knows that God will never forsake you.
Don’t allow the enemy to trick you into feeling this false sense of abandonment. Realize that God is still right there with you in any situation. If you feel as though you have been forsaken, pray and then pray some more.
Make sure you have not given place to sin in your life and if so repent. If you are fighting thoughts in your mind turn to the truth of the scripture. Whatever you do never allow yourself to give a foothold to the devil either through thought or action.
Ephesians 4:27 (ESV)
27 and give no opportunity to the devil.
With scripture backing me I can assure you that God will never leave you or forsake you. Nothing will ever separate you from His love. But you can forsake yourself and lead yourself into a desolate place. Which is exactly what the adversary wants. I pray that you will not allow that to happen in your life and that you will see the unending love God has for you. Which is never indicated by your situation.
Romans 8:35–39 (ESV)
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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