INTRODUCTION
One of the most fearful concepts in life is the utter termination of a cherished relationship. Whether we call it abandoning, forsaking, giving up on us, or divorce, the portrait is of a sharp line drawn in a relationship—a line that quickly becomes a great gulf between the two persons, putting them out of reach of one another. And one of the greatest consequences of being abandoned is that it threatens our feeling of self-worth. “I was worthless, so I was abandoned. I had something wrong with me, so no one wanted me.” How comforting to know that God will never abandon anyone who loves him.
WILL GOD ABANDON ME DURING MY DIFFICULT TIMES?
Psalm 9:10 . . . Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, have never abandoned anyone who searches for you. Psalm 27:10 . . . Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. John 14:16 . . . I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. 2 Corinthians 4:9 . . . We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. A seeking God and a seeking person are always sure to find each other. God will never abandon a seeking person.
EVEN IF ALL OTHERS ABANDON YOU, GOD WILL NOT ABANDON YOU.
Genesis 37:28 . . . When the traders came by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty pieces of silver. Genesis 39:3 . . . The Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. Sometimes we feel like everyone is against us, but God is always for us because he loves us with a deep and lasting love.
GOD WILL NEVER ABANDON HIS PEOPLE.
1 Samuel 12:22 . . . The Lord will not abandon his chosen people. God will never desert those who trust in him and love him. When you feel abandoned, don’t give up on God.
OUR SUFFERING DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD HAS ABANDONED US.
1 Peter 5:10 . . . After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. God has compassion and an eternal reward for those who suffer.
TO WILLFULLY AND COMPLETELY ABANDON GOD IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET GOD TO ABANDON YOU.
1 Samuel 16:14 . . . Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul. The only time God abandons someone is when that person first abandons him, willfully and continuously.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE SHOULD ABANDON SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
Philippians 3:8-10 . . . I have discarded everything else . . . As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death. Abandoning those things that keep us from God is the best way to assure that we will not abandon God. Clinging to ungodly distractions puts us at risk in our walk with God.
IN THESE DAYS OF TOLERANCE, ARE THERE THINGS WE SHOULD ABANDON?
Job 28:28 . . . This is what he says to all humanity: “The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.” Ephesians 4:31 . . . Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. 1 Peter 2:1 . . . Get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don’t just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing. Persistent sin will cause us to abandon God. Persistent godliness will cause us to abandon evil.
PROMISES FROM GOD:
Hebrews 13:5 . . . “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.”
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