TargetPoint Volume 21 of 32
Todays Verse/Thought: Fear of Abandonment
Deuteronomy 31:8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD is the one who goes before you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor forsake you.
Life Implication:
Sin gave birth to a man's need for significance, which gave place, then, for the fear of failure to enter. Yesterday, we looked at how sin gave birth to woman's need for security and today we will look at how that need gives place to a woman's FEAR OF ABANDONMENT.
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the Garden of Eden made a radical paradigm shift. Because of sin, Eve felt separated from God. WHEN WE FEEL SEPARATED FROM GOD, WE FEEL ABANDONED. A chasm has formed between us and our Maker, even though God did not do the abandoning.
The opposite of a secure place is total desertion or abandonment. On one end of the spectrum we can find COVERT ABANDONMENT. Picture a husband sitting reading the newspaper, oblivious to something important his wife is trying to share, she FEELS abandoned.
On the other end of that spectrum, there's OVERT ABANDONMENT, where a husband may finally forsake his wife, and walk away from her and all his responsibilities, she IS completely abandoned. Her fear has been realized, in his withdrawal of support, duty and allegiance . . . not to mention, his love!
Remember the control issues we discussed a few days back? Even if a woman is single, often you will find her becoming hardened and controlling in corporate, or even church settings, grabbing the steering wheel of her life in an effort to counteract being controlled by others which she feels could ultimately position her for abandonment.
Life Application:
God did not flippantly choose the words, I will never leave you or forsake you. He chose those words clearly to put our hearts at peace.
We, as both men and women, must STAND FIRMLY ON THE WORD OF GOD and BELIEVE HIS PROMISE. God said it again to His disciples in Matthew 28:20: And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Ask God to help you stand on His Word and believe His promises that He will never leave you or abandon you in any way. ASK HIM TO HELP YOUR UNBELIEF and SUPERCHARGE YOU WITH FRESH FAITH in Him.
Tomorrow In TargetPoint:
Our Ultimate Fear, Death