Biblical Answer

The Feeling of Abandonment by God

Feeling abandoned by God is a common experience for many people. It is natural to wonder why God seems distant or unresponsive to our needs and prayers. However, the Bible teaches us that God is always present and active in our lives, even when we don't feel it. The problem is not that God has abandoned us, but rather that we have not surrendered to Him and trusted in His sovereignty.

The Bible says, "Abandonment means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions" (1). This means that when we feel abandoned by God, we should not focus on the roadblocks of life and miss seeing the road to God. We should not be hesitant to trust in God's goodness and sovereignty, even when things are not going well. Instead, we should seek God with our whole heart and abandon ourselves to Him, trusting that He will give our life to us as a prize.

The feeling of abandonment by God can be caused by various factors, such as unvoiced frustrations in our relationship with God, being too busy for God, or putting other things ahead of Him. However, the Bible teaches us that God is seeking us more than we are seeking Him, and that He has a particular interest in those who have been sinned against, neglected, or abandoned. We should focus on God's character and purposes, and not on our feelings or circumstances. As J. I. Packer says, "He knows the way He taketh, even if for the moment we do not" (2). We should trust in God's sovereignty and goodness, and seek Him with our whole heart, even when we don't feel it.