“Has God Abandoned Me?” (3 Promises From God)
I sit in the canyon where the granite is ribboned with a thousand shades of earthy beige. I’ve come to this canyon to find answers and seek direction for my life. Feeling alone and uncertain, I whisper painful words to the wild Wyoming sky: “Has God abandoned me?”
I’ve endured some rough years, and I can’t help but wonder what God thinks about my life.
Is he looking at me with folded arms and a disappointed scowl on his face?
Is he rolling his eyes and writing me off?
I surely deserve to be written off. I’ve been living for myself and not for him. And here in this valley, he feels about a million miles away.
The old Bible I kept on my nightstand says he is everywhere at all times, but it sure doesn’t feel like it today.
Has God Abandoned Me in My Pain?
I leaf through the pages of the Bible on my lap. I’m not sure why I brought it with me. Maybe I hoped God would show up and speak to me through these words.
Much to my dismay, he seems to be nowhere to be found beneath these towering pillars of granite.
My skimming leads me to a familiar passage of Scripture.
It’s the story of the woman caught in adultery in the eighth chapter of John’s Gospel. She’s been dragged into the middle of a vast circle of religious people who are about to stone her to death as the penalty for her sins.
Just as they’re about to start throwing stones, Jesus arrives on the scene.
He bends down and begins writing in the dirt. The Bible doesn’t tell us what he wrote. I wonder if that’s because his intention was deeper than words. Maybe, he wanted to show us he’s not afraid to stoop low into our dirtiest messes and get our dirt on his hands.
What happens next touches my heart almost as deeply as Jesus’ willingness to step into the messy middle of the woman’s lowest moment.
Jesus invites the onlookers to go ahead and throw their stones, but only if they are without sins.
One at a time, the crowd disperses.
Let’s not miss this: Jesus doesn’t condemn the woman. Instead, he defends her.
Friend, even if it feels like God has abandoned you, he has not left your side. We’ll get back to the story of the forsaken woman at the end of this post. First, let’s look at what the Lord is truly doing when we feel abandoned.
3 Promises for When You Wonder, “Has God Abandoned Me?”
1. God will never leave you.
We find this promise throughout Scripture.
Cling to this promise in Deuteronomy 31:8: “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (NIV).
Don’t buy the lie that God has turned away from you. He promises never to leave his children. (Join me right here to read about the lie many of us believe in our suffering.)
2. God will never stop loving you.
Additionally, nothing can take God’s love away from you.
You can’t mess up enough to lose God’s love.
Turn away from God, and he will still love you. In fact, he will pursue you. He will chase you down because he loves you relentlessly. He will watch for you to return to him like a father watching for his wayward child to return home.
And when he sees you coming, he won’t start with a lecture. He will throw off his coat and run to you. He’ll wrap his arms around you and say, “Welcome home!”
Nothing can separate you from God’s love: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 NASB).
3. God will defend you.
Let’s return to the story of the woman who was about to be stoned to death.
This woman reminds me of myself in my lowest, darkest moments. Caught in my poor decisions, I have often wondered whether Jesus has turned away from me.
Perhaps you have asked this same question.
Have you ever wondered what Jesus is doing while you are stuck in the sins you can’t seem to overcome?
This passage of Scripture offers ample evidence of his character: He isn’t rolling his eyes or folding his arms in condemnation. Instead, he is bending low to sit in your dirty mess. He is defending you. And he is waiting to pick you up and set you free.
Jesus ultimately forgives the woman and tells her to go and sin no more. He offers the same invitation to each of us.
God Will Never Abandon You
My summer in the granite canyon was two decades ago.
It took me years to climb out of my personal valley of hardship, and I’m still a work in progress. Throughout the years since I wondered if God had abandoned me, I’ve learned one life-changing truth: God is a relentlessly loving Father, and he will fight for us to the end.
If you are wondering if God has abandoned you, rest in this truth: He is pursuing you. The minute you decide to seek him with your whole heart, you will discover a Father who sets aside propriety and runs to you with open arms.
The minute you decide to seek him with your whole heart, you will discover a Father who sets aside propriety and runs to you with open arms. #GodsForgiveness #Jesus #Forgiven Click To TweetA Free Devotional for When You Ask, “Has God Abandoned Me?”
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