Feeling Forsaken?

Feeling Forsaken?

It is a discouraging state of mind and emotion for any person to experience times when you feel like you have been personally rejected, or even worse, forsaken. 

To be rejected is hurtful enough; but to be Forsaken is to be sensitive to abandonment by someone you must have surely trusted! 

Forsaken means basically to be abandoned or flat out deserted. Perhaps the most hurtful emotion a human being can experience; aside from the death of a loved one is the deep feeling of being Forsaken!

Feeling Forsaken causes a sense of despair and hopelessness. 

Have you ever felt Forsaken? Whenever a person feels forsaken; they can react in differing ways. Some people might lose all sense of self worth, while others might seek a type of revenge. 

How one handles the emotion of forsakenness is a serious thing; especially for a Christian. Let’s examine the feeling of Forsakenness in the Bible.

• First of all; let’s point out a spiritual fact about “Forsakenness.” Satan, the enemy of all mankind wants everyone to “feel a sense of Forsakenness,” because he desires for even believers to feel abandoned by God. 

You might be surprised to hear that God himself knows a lot about feeling forsaken. For instance, the whole human race in effect forsook God and took up with Satan. 

Secondly, Israel, whom God miraculously freed from bondage, cleared out a homeland for their posterity and blessed with his presence; forsook him and his law; and followed after false gods!

The Apostle Paul dealt with the feelings of being Forsaken. In II Timothy chapter four, Paul, at the end of his life, talks about and laments the fact that many friends had forsaken him. In verse 16 & 17 he adds that “all men forsook him; but this fact notwithstanding, the Lord was yet with him.

On another occasion, when writing to his fellow Christians in the church at Corinth, Paul recounts the following:

II Corinthian 4:8-9 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken;

But without question, the most striking example of dealing with the emotion of Feeling Forsaken, is Jesus Christ himself! 

When Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane on that fateful night of his impending crucifixion to pray, he encouraged his disciples to pray. But when the soldiers came and arrested Jesus; they all Forsook him and fled! (Mark 14:50)

But Jesus was prepared for their abandonment! In fact, earlier that very same night he envisioned the circumstances of his own disciples Forsaking him and leaving him all alone!

John 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

If these two significant instances of desertion weren’t enough to cause Jesus to feel completely forsaken, they pale in comparison to the event of the next morning and afternoon as he hung on that ole rugged Cross.

Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

As Jesus hung on that Cross, about to breathe his last breaths of his earthly life; he, all alone, in a moment of time took upon himself all the sins of the human race. The awful conflagration of sin heaped upon Jesus in this instance even caused the sun to refuse to shine, as God the Almighty Father turned his face away from his Son; as the Son paid the full price for Sins penalty! 

The last words Jesus uttered as he died were, “it is finished.” Victory was snatched out of the jaws of defeat and any sense of Forsakenness! Satan was dumbfounded!

But think about Jesus words just previously; “My God, my God, why hast thou Forsaken me? Jesus  had a moment of Feeling Forsaken! 

Jesus sense of Forsakenness at this moment had to be many times over the worst emotional trauma ever felt by anyone! Thinking God has Forsaken us is the worst possible calamity for the mind! And it’s exactly just what Satan desires. 

But God never Forsook his Son! And he will never Forsake those who receive the offer of the grace that is in his Son!

Psalms 9:9-10 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and becontent with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Focus on the Bible

by: Darrell G. Young

October 27, 2021