Left Alone

Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. Matthew 26:56 (King James Version)

While here on earth, Jesus experienced pain, hurt, and sorrow of great proportion. He knew betrayal at the hand of one He chose and loved. He knew the loneliness of being let down at a time of great need. And He knew the reality of being abandoned in the presence of His enemies. The fact that He knew this would happen made it no less painful. Oh the comfort and strength that comes when just one person will stick with you through the difficulties of life. Oh the agony when that does not happen.

Some who are reading this know what I am talking about. The unfaithfulness of a spouse, the betrayal of a business partner, the deliberate departure of a close friend, rejection, desertion, and abandonment. Few people know it in its entirety but even one time is enough to leave you emotionally crippled for years. The more significant the person is in your life the more devastating the effects. Some know the sting of rejection through no fault of their own. Others know it as a result of their personal actions. Whether it is the consequence of your own choices or the decision of the other person the effect is felt.

When I review my own life I realize I have never known deliberate, intentional rejection. But I have known the emotional withdrawal of significant people, the unavailability of friends, and the feeling of being forgotten. This was a big factor in my home growing up. When drinking and bars had the full attention of my parents the seeds of neglect, loneliness, and abandonment took root. Those seeds grew over the years and left me with harsh messages toward myself and others when I experienced even the normal let downs of life. God and I are still going through the process of seeing where the lies, misinterpretations, and feelings stem from. He is showing me the way to emotional freedom!

Whether it is actual forsaking or simply an emotional response because of personal baggage, healing begins when I take in Jesus’ words of I will never leave you or forsake you. I am with you always. The One who knows the pain of ultimate rejection and abandonment will never withdraw from His own. When no other human source is available He receives my tears, hears my cries, and keeps giving me His assuring words of, “I am here. I am not going anywhere. You are not alone.”

Father, thank you for your tender and constant presence. Amen.