A Faithful Father

READ: DEUTERONOMY 31:6; PSALM 94:14; JOHN 14:18

I am adopted from China. From what little I know (and understand), my biological mother abandoned me in a public area to be taken to an orphanage. Even though I was adopted as a little baby, I have insecurities about being abandoned or left behind again, although none of that has happened since I’ve been adopted. But I’ve heard that traumatic events, like being abandoned as a baby, can still affect a person, even if you don’t actually remember the event.

While I have not been abandoned since that time, I know people who’ve had family and friends abandon them, and they often wonder if God will abandon them too. But the truth is, God never leaves His children.

No matter what trials are going on in our lives, or no matter how far we’re running from God, He never leaves His children! And nothing can ever tear us away from Him (John 10:28-30). Once we belong to Jesus, nothing we do could ever separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Because He died on the cross for us and rose from the grave, nothing—including people, circumstances, or wrong choices—can take us away from Him. How can we be sure? Because He has promised never to leave us! And God keeps His promises. People on this earth may leave us, but God never will. He is a faithful Father. • Lilly Wiscaver

• Life in our broken world can be really hard, and there are times in all of our lives when we wonder if God has abandoned us. And so, it’s good to remember God’s faithfulness and His promise never to leave us. Can you think of a time you experienced God’s faithfulness in your life? Do you have any favorite Bible verses that remind you of His trustworthy love? If you want to dig deeper, read Psalms 9:10; 23:4-6; 27:10; Isaiah 49:15; Luke 15. And if you want to know more about what it means to become God’s child through Jesus, see our "Know Jesus" page.

• If you struggle with fears of being abandoned, don’t keep these fears to yourself. God has so much compassion on us, and He invites us to tell Him all about our fears, and also to tell trusted people who can help us find healing. Who is a trusted adult you could talk to? If you need someone to talk to, you can request a free conversation with Focus on the Family’s Counseling Department by calling 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time). Please be prepared to leave your contact information for a counselor to return a call to you as soon as possible. In Canada, book your appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate.

For he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you. Hebrews 13:5 (CSB)