Simply put, spiritual abandonment is a feeling or emotion that God is no longer with you, has forsaken you, has forgotten about you, and/or no longer loves you.
This blog is perfect for you if you're feeling:
Abandoned by God
A spiritual crisis
Disconnected from spirituality
You cannot cope with abandonment
Emotional abandonment
All alone or prolonged loneliness
Unworthy of forgiveness and deserving to be abandoned
Difficulty trusting God
How did we get here?
We shouldn't be afraid of transparency. It's essential to open our eyes to the truth of our emotions—understanding how we feel and why we feel that way.
"Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death." Psalm 13:3
David felt as though he were dying, overwhelmed by the sense that God was distant and unmindful of his suffering. He felt unheard by God. Yet, in the midst of his anguish, he called out, asking God to open his eyes to the truth.
I'll share the 5 most common reasons for spiritual abandonment, but first I'll ask you 2 questions.
What's going wrong?
When was your last spiritual high?
What's going wrong?
When we feel abandoned by God, it’s often because something is stirring deep despair within us. What is troubling you right now? What's going wrong in your life?
I firmly believe in the power of our words—speaking life can bring deliverance. However, we Christians can be so ritualistic with positivity and optimism that we don't allow human emotions to do what they're wired to do. God designed us with emotions, and even He expresses them. He created us with different temperaments that shape our behavior, and He fully understands that we experience doubt, anguish, and even depression.
When was your last spiritual high?
When you were at a spiritual high, you likely thanked God for His guidance, support, and love. You felt blessed, not cursed.
But when spiritual abandonment sets in, it can feel like the complete opposite—a heavy, painful curse.
After a spiritual high or a season of success, the best thing you can do is step back from distractions and draw even closer to the Lord.
Why? Because reaching one level of faith or success isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of new challenges. To start the next level, you need renewed strength to overcome the obstacles ahead. You need strength to pass the next threshold. If you've recently had a great success, you need clarity from God about what's next and how to discover yourself. This helps avoid feeling abandoned and unsettled.
Feeling abandoned often arises from feeling attacked or in a battle without aid or support. You feel completely defeated and like no one cares to help. You feel like even God is not around to help you.
Most likely, people you've supported are not there to support you. Inadvertently, you push the people who try to show support away and it feels like they don't understand what you're going through and have no real solution to your problem.
I've got a news flash for you. Those selfish people have always been selfish! They haven't changed all of a sudden. Your situation has changed and you're just now noticing how self-involved they are. You’ve likely been the strong one in your relationship with them, overlooking their selfishness or have never had a deep emotional need for their support before.
Also, listen to those who do support you—they are the ones who will uplift and encourage you. They might not have all the answers or have faced your exact struggles, but their love for you is genuine.
We often focus on who's not there while ignoring who's standing in front of our face.
Most of all, God is who you need to draw closer to during times of dejection.
Use the poll below to make your vote. You can vote for more than one option.
Why do you feel spiritually abandoned?
Attacked with Opposition
Unanswered Prayers/Promises
Sin and Guilt
Attacked in the Body
You can vote for more than one answer.
God is compassionate toward you, so extend some kindness to yourself. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Attacked with Opposition
"Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha." Psalm 40:14-15
David consistently dealt with opposition. Look at his words closely. He wanted God to swoop in and attack his attackers. He hated the mocking and shame.
In verse 1, David praises God for hearing him at other times.
Biblical Solutions:
Unanswered Prayers/Promises
"How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? "Psalm 13:1-2
Imagine how David felt about being anointed to be king and having to wait while the current king was trying to kill him. I'm sure you've said, "How long, God? What's taking so long, you can take care of this right away!" I'm sure David thought, "Why did God call me to be king so early and I have to wait for so long."
David thought that God forgot about him and had abandoned him.
If you've been waiting on an answer or promise, you could be frustrated and even angry with God.
At the end of the Psalm, David says that he'll trust God. Let's face it, you're losing trust in God. That's exactly what the devil wants you to do.
Biblical Solutions:
Speak about God's attributes, which remind you of why He can be trusted
Sing praises unto God
Meditate in the Word
Write or review the previous promises that God fulfilled
Sin and Guilt
"Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." Psalm 51:4
Sin and Guilt could make you feel like you're too unimportant or dirty for God to be around you. This lie can feel like a reality, causing us to somehow forget that God wanted us when we were at our worst. The worst you've ever been is when you didn't know Jesus. The darkest place you could ever be is without the light of Jesus.
In the rest of the Psalm, David asks for cleansing, forgiveness, and a blessing.
Biblical Solutions:
Expect sonship blessings
Meditate in the Word
Attacked in the Body
"For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed." Psalm 31:10
Physical anguish, especially over a long period of time, can feel like God doesn't care and doesn't want to heal you. How we feel doesn't change the fact that God is a healer. The longer we feel pain, the more we doubt.
In verse 11, David moves on to say that his life is in God's hands.
Biblical Solutions:
Attacked Financially
"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." Psalm 37:25
Do you need provision? While on the run from Saul, David and his soldiers were starving in the wilderness and asked Nabal for provisions. David surely didn't sound like a king, right? He didn't sound chosen by God. Nabal refused to help him and God struck Nabal causing David to take all (1 Samuel 25).
As God's children, we should rule, not beg, right? Your situation may not be exactly like David's but anyone can become depressed and feel abandoned when surrounded by bills instead of money.
Biblical Solutions:
David wasn't ashamed of his emotions and needs and neither should you be ashamed. God is understanding. If you need prayer partners, send your prayer request and the team will pray for you.
If you're a minister and need additional support from a group of ministers, join my private ministerial leadership group today!
Many people have received healing and or deliverance as they read my books. Check out what they're talking about for yourself by making a purchase today.
Connect with me through books, social media, and courses. I want to minister to you. www.JivelTousand.com
If you want to connect with Jivel Tousand Ministries, go to JivelTousandMinistries.com.
Thank you for reading my blog, "What is Spiritual Abandonment?" I pray that it's drawn you closer to the Holy Spirit.
God bless you
Comentarios