Do you ever feel alone? Overlooked? Forgotten by God?

I have. Especially over the last few years with my divorce, financial havoc, inexpectable loss and one-after-the-other devastating and stressful calamities. 

Was I lonely? Yes. Did I feel overlooked? Oh boy did I. Did I feel forgotten? Absolutely.

However (and thankfully) I didn’t distance myself from God but rather tried to draw nearer. I took the circumstances I was dealt with and laid them at God’s feet knowing I did not have the strength to wrestle with it all by myself. Ironically, I imagined what would Jesus do in the same situations?

In the Bible, Jesus — though he was part of the triad of God — looked to His Father when He felt alone, overlooked and forgotten. Though Jesus had His faithful followers, He was, of course, sinless so He was probably considered the “oddball” - sticking out morally like a sore thumb, never quite fitting in with any group. Yet, when adversity reared it’s ugly head, Jesus always called out to God.

In Matthew 14:13-21 at a remote place near Bethsaida, followers of Jesus gathered to be with him and when no food but five loaves and two fish were available to feed the thousands who had gathered, instead of “freaking out” (like I would do), Jesus turned to God to multiply the food.

Later on the cross, Jesus — while being mocked and shamed — cried out to his Father in heaven, “Why have You forsaken Me?” We all know the lesson of this story, but how heartbreaking to feel you have no one to turn to at your most dire situation?

When Jesus felt abandoned and alone in Gethsemane, and His friends turned their backs, He turned to His Father rather than giving up (which I may have done)  and prayed feverishly.

Jesus knew supreme rejection and loneliness and when the cards were stacked against Him, He didn’t run from his Father but looked instead to crawl in His lap like a child.

This Thanksgiving, I have a lot to be thankful for despite the turmoil I’ve faced in the last couple years. I am thankful for all my blessings and I look to focus my attention on those  favors rather than the setbacks. Jesus thanked His Heavenly Father for hearing Him as He prayed for Lazarus to be risen from the dead. Jesus thanked His Father for the bread and cup at the Last Supper, which represented his body and blood and Jesus thanked His Father for feeding the 5,000 by the shores of the Sea of Gallilee.

Being thankful creates a communion with God.  We are not forgotten, abandoned or overlooked by God. We are an object of His affection. When Jesus thanked God, it was because He had drawn near to Him. Be of good cheer this Thanksgiving. We are loved. 

Make this year’s Thanksgiving celebration more about the lesson of leaning more on God and depending on Him like a child looks to its parents. 

What comfort is better than crawling into the lap of the Almighty?