Day 4: Abandonment

If anyone knows what it's like to experience abandonment, it's Jesus. At the time He needed His friends the most, they deserted him. They fell asleep as He wept and sweated blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. One of his best friends betrayed him for a small amount of money. They ran when He was arrested. They denied knowing Him as He stood trial. As He died on the cross, Jesus cried out to God,

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34)

We can experience abandonment from a number of causes. Often this can come through feeling abandoned by a parent or significant figure in our life.

God's answer for the pain of abandonment is to offer adoption. We don't have to be Fatherless, or without true identity or name. God adopts us and claims us as His sons and daughters.

"In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." (Eph 1:5)

Just as God the Father claimed Jesus as His Son when Jesus was baptised in the Jordan River ("And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Mt 3:17), God declares the same over us. He is a proud Father, He calls us by name, and He loves us.

If you feel like you have pain around abandonment, the arms of the Father hold healing and restoration and answers for you about your identity.

Be Honest:

• Have you experienced abandonment?
• Have you processed any pain of abandonment?
• Are you confident in your identity?
• Can you relate to God as your proud Father?

Bonus Challenge:

1. Write a list in your journal or in your phone of anyone who you have felt abandoned by.
2. Go through the list and one by one, intentionally forgive each person, and pray that they will have a revelation of the Father's love for them.
3. Ask God to be the kind of Father you need most in this season. Do you need a Dad who provides? Protects? Encourages? Shows up? Write it down or say it out loud in simple words something like, "God, I need you to be this kind of Father to me right now."