Some things make us spiritually weak, and others trip us up and interrupt our pursuit of strong faith. Abandonment, fear, and discouragement top the list.
As a child, I experienced all three on one Saturday afternoon. I went to work with my dad in a large manufacturing plant. The place was closed for the weekend. I wanted to explore but was too little to wander around alone, so Dad asked a co-worker to show me the cool stuff.
The deeper we moved into the stadium-sized plant, the more fearful I became. I felt as if Dad had abandoned me with this stranger. I thought I would never find my way back, adding discouragement to my feelings.
Suddenly, Dad appeared. I wondered how. But it didn’t matter. My fear dissipated, and I happily followed him, hand in hand, back to the office without a care. When my father led the way, I had nothing to fear. I trusted him no matter how dark, dirty, or noisy things became.
Deuteronomy 31:8-9 says nothing about our heavenly Father taking us out of fearful situations, but instead promises we will not be alone or put into the hands of a stranger. The one we know and trust leads us by the hand. We don’t have to fear, for He will not abandon us.
Our Scripture is one of the most incredible guarantees in the Bible. God, the sovereign Creator of the universe, will lead us and never leave us. Our part is striving to know Him better through the Word and trusting Him more. God should never be a stranger to us.
Three of the biggest joy-stealers are fear, discouragement, and abandonment. But the promise of the personal presence of Jesus can halt them all. Thinking of Christ as a loving, committed friend is never irreverent. Our heavenly Father is indeed a friend to sinners.
How can you know this unforsaking friend better?
(photo courtesy of pixabay and Dimhou)
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Bill Branks is a pastor and writer who lives in Detroit, Michigan. He has been pastoring in the inner city for eighteen years, writes about his experiences in the city, and draws biblical applications and devotions from this journey. You can read more at billbranks.substack.com.