"If Christ Jesus
dwells in a man as his friend and noble leader, that man can endure all
things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandons us. He is
a true friend. - Saint Teresa of Avila
Abandonment is not an easy topic for an orphaned person to broach, neither is rejection. The idea that someone would leave and choose not to care for a child
as cute as this one is beyond me ; ) To
ABANDON means to cease to support or look after someone; to desert;
to leave a place empty or uninhabited, without intending to return; to
give up completely (a course of action, a practice, or a way of
thinking). Captains abandon ship because they know the boat is sinking.
The original Latin idea was to
'bring under control.' Sometimes when abandonment occurs, whether it's physically leaving or emotional silent withdrawal; it's because
the
person knowingly or subliminally wants to bring what seems out of
control in their situation or inside themselves back into a semblance of
control. E.g. "
My life is too complicated to deal with a
child right now. I'm too depressed, needy, in sin, etc. to handle this
relationship, and I can't allow my feelings to overtake me. My boss is
driving me bonkers. I'll abandon this to gain possession of myself and
my world again." Maybe it's happened to you...maybe you've done it.
When Moses was leading Israel into their promised land, he encouraged them to,
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6) They were fighting a physical battle with enemies that they were to dispossess.
We are fighting a spiritual battle with powers, emotions and PTSD that is warring for possession of our souls, (mind, will, emotions, and decisions) that are wounded from being abandoned in the past.
We can be so consumed with maintaining control and avoiding hurt that we decide not to love again.
Or we can get so obsessed with people staying that we try to be
perfect, or suffocate them. Even the marital vows we make for better,
worse, richer, poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others -
do not prevent us from the fear or possibility of being left by those
we love.
Unfortunately, our security is not in Jesus, the only One whom we know will NEVER leave.
Some of us trust in money, and even use it to hold on to
relationships. Paul tells the Hebrews not to be anxious or controlling about money,
"Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." (Hebrews 13:6) God's care for us continues even when money leaves us, and we scramble to get control again.
All of this controlling of people and possessions is the antithesis of WORSHIP. It's so interesting that the word ABANDON has another connotation -
a complete lack of inhibition and restraint. "They worship with total and reckless abandon." True worshipers hold on to God, as He holds us.
They don't care what anyone thinks about it, and they're not afraid.
You can stay or go. We've let go of our control and given it to God.
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