If you feel like God has abandoned you, like He is not answering your prayers, and has left you on your own, then this article is a must read for you. Actually, there are many things in life that can make us feel like God has abandoned us. When the weight of life’s burdens weighs us down and God seems silent, we may conclude that He has left us and doesn’t want anything to do with us. But does God really abandon His people? Does He leave us to struggle alone in our sufferings?
The truth is that God does not abandon His loved ones. He does not turn His back on us when life gets tough and everything looks like a dark cloud. In the Book of Joshua 1:9 (NKJV), God says,
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
God promised that He will never leave us alone; He promised to stick with us wherever we go.
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NKJV) reads, “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
In Matthew 28:20 (NKJV), Jesus promised that He will be with us to the end of the age.
These scriptures shed more light on why you must not rush to conclude that God has abandoned you. God does not lie about His Word and promises. He promised that He will never abandon us and that’s what He will do no matter what happens in our lives.
Often, we confuse seasons of testing, hardship, and refining as signs that God has abandoned us. We look at our problems, the delays and stagnations, and the misery, and we conclude that God does not love us anymore. We confuse periods of waiting with signs of unanswered prayers. Yet, they are totally different things. Seasons of struggles and hardship are normal, and they are not there to stay. In God’s time, He will change the situation.
Yes, it is true that there are times you may feel like God has left you. However, this is not always true. God’s silence does not mean abandonment. He allow the suffering, pain, and disappointments in our lives for a divine purpose. And when His purpose is fulfilled, He internes and rescues us from all the troubles that torment us. God does not let His people suffer and walk away. That is not the nature of our Heavenly Father. He does not behave like shifting shadows. God does not change with changing seasons and uncertain times. He is with you in good times and in bad times too. In Isaiah 43:2 (NKJV), He says,
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.”
God assures us that even though times may change and become tough, He will stay with us. He promises that He will walk with us through challenging times.
Signs God Has Abandoned You
There are many things that can make you feel that God has left you. However, these feelings do not mean that God is not with you. He is always present in your life. Below are some of the reasons that can make you experience signs that God has abandoned you.
a.) Guilt Can Make You See the Signs That God is Drifting Away from You
When you sin against God, you may have feelings of guilt from within. These feelings may make you to experience signs that may seem to show that God has left you. Therefore, you need to learn to differentiate guilt feelings from the signs that God has abandoned you.
Adam hid, when he realized that he had done something that God had warned him not to do. It is not God who hid from him.
Genesis 3:8-10 (NIV) – “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And, they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But, the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
As you can see, the guilt in Adam made him feel like he needs to stay away from God.
b.) Fear is a False Sign That God Has Abandoned You
Fear is a weapon that the devil uses to make you feel like God is not with you. What you feel is not a sign that God has abandoned, but a feeling of fear. The fear of the unknown, the fear of what surrounds you, and every form of fear is not a sign of God’s absence. Instead, it is a feeling that you need to overcome so that you can feel the presence of God around you.
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
c.) Anxiety Can Make You Feel Like God Has Rejected You
In a world defined by unchanging times, anxiety can easily creep in your mind. Feelings of anxiety can make you doubt the plan of God for your life. They can make you doubt His presence, power and promises. But, is it not God Himself who says in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has a good plan for your life? Besides, He is the one who establishes all your plans and makes your paths straight. However, when you allow anxiety to fill your mind, you may start seeing signs that may seem to indicate that God has abandoned you.
Philippians 4:6 (NIV) – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
d.) Lack of Faith in God
A lack of faith in God can make you feel like God has given up on you. Yet, all this time it is you who has moved away from Him. So, what happens when you get away from God? When you don’t have faith in God, it is impossible for you to see any good thing from Him. This is why you will always experience signs that He has abandoned you.
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) – “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
What Do You Need to Do When You Experience Signs that Show God Has Abandoned You?
a.) Repent, and Turn Back to God If You Think He Has Abandoned You
From the list of the things that can make you feel like God has given up on you, one of them is guilt. Guilt comes as a result of sin, or things done contrary to the will of God. And, it is true that sin can push you away from God. Therefore, one way of overcoming this feeling is seeking forgiveness and repentance.
Luke 5:32 (NIV) – “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Jesus says that He did not come to call the righteous to Him. Rather, He came to restore the broken relationship between God and those who have fallen short of God’s glory. Therefore, if you think God has left you because of your sin, seek forgiveness from God and repent.
b.) Pray and Reconnect with God If You Think He Is Far from You
Prayer is one of the ways through which you can call on God and His presence. Through prayer, you can move closer to God once again. In the wilderness, Moses called for the presence of God through prayer, (Exodus 33:14-16). Likewise, in your moment of trial and tribulation, pray and ask that God’s presence may go with you.
Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) – “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
Mark 11:24 (NIV) – “Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it. And, it will be yours.”
c.) Read and Meditate on the Word of God
In John 1:1, we learn that the Word of God is God, and God is the Word. Therefore, when you want to connect with God, you need more of His word (more of Him). When you meditate on God’s word, you will experience His power working in every aspect of your life. You will feel God’s presence, and you are likely to hear His still voice guiding you. He will lead you along the path of success and prosperity.
Psalms 1:1-3 (NIV) – “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take. Or, sit in the company of mockers. But, whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever they do prospers.”
d.) Give Thanks for Everything That God Has Done to You
Jonah 2:9 (NIV) – “But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.”’
Even when nothing seems to go as planned, remember to give thanks to the Lord. Salvation, deliverance, breakthroughs, favor and blessings come from Him alone. Learn to appreciate what He has already done to you, as you wait on Him to do more. Thanksgiving welcomes the presence of God. In Psalms 22:3, the Bible says that He inhabits the praises of His people. Thanksgiving is a form of praise to the Lord for His majestic works.
Conclusion
Signs that God has abandoned you are never real. They are illusions that you get when something is a mess with you, not with God. You are the one who moves away from God. He does not move away from you. Therefore, if you think He has left you, go back to Him. James 4:8 (NIV) says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” It is you that needs to draw near to God through prayer, repentance, reading and meditating on God’s word, and through thanksgiving.
