It’s always hard to say goodbye, especially to those we love and hold dear. When close people leave us, it’s a big deal and, depending on how we process things, it may take a while for us to get over it. It goes without saying that the death of a loved one is likely the most painful type of goodbye there is. A person we’ve become accustomed to having around is no longer there and we will not see them again in this life. That’s a very difficult thing to process and some people just cannot get over the grief.
There are many reasons why the word goodbye may need to be said. It might be that a relationship is no longer pleasant and needs to be ended. It might be because new things have come, the old needing to be let go and the new needing to be embraced. Sometimes, it’s a slow fade that comes with no explanation at all and just happens. Nobody is willing to fight hard enough so, without a word, things end.
All in all, unless someone has really traumatized us and been a real pain, goodbyes are actually sad moments. The word itself has a finality to it that makes us sad inside. Which is why this post, as the title simply puts it, is about God. God never said goodbye and, though others may give up on us and walk away from us, He will never do that. Where’s the proof? The following is a list of His promises to never leave those who believe in Him:
- Deuteronomy 31:6, 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 31:8, The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
- Joshua 1:5, No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- 1Kings 8:57, “May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may He never leave us nor forsake us.”
- 1 Chronicles 28:20, David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.”
- Psalms 37:28, For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. “They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;”
- Psalms 94:14 “For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.”
- Isaiah 41:17 “The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.”
- Isaiah 42:16 “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”
- Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Whatever you are going through, take courage in knowing that you have someone who will never be left alone by God. This may encourage you, particularly if you suffered from feelings of abandonment in the past. If you’d like to know about how to connect with God and have questions about faith, please click on the banner below.