A Catholic Reflection on Feeling Abandoned by God

Right now, life feels less like living and more like surviving. Fear presses in from every side. Fury simmers beneath the surface, at circumstances we didn’t choose, at decisions made under pressure, at how quickly everything seems to be unraveling. It feels like the walls are closing in, like something is about to explode, and we’re bracing ourselves for impact.

In moments like these, a haunting question often rises up: What is God telling me right now?

And sometimes an even more painful thought follows: Have we been abandoned? Are we being punished?

As a Catholic, I want to speak honestly into that fear, because what you may be experiencing is not a failure of faith, but one of its hardest seasons.

Feeling Abandoned Does Not Mean You Are Abandoned

Scripture and Catholic tradition are filled with holy people who felt exactly this way. Jesus Himself cried out from the Cross:

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

King David prayed in anguish:

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13)

St. Teresa of Calcutta, now St. Teresa of Calcutta, lived for decades with an interior silence so deep it felt like abandonment. She was not being punished. She was being united to Christ in a profound and hidden way.

The absence of felt consolation is not the absence of God.

This Is Not Punishment — It Is a Cross

Punishment implies rejection.

The Cross implies love.

If suffering were proof of God’s anger, then the Crucifix would make no sense.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that while God does not will evil, He permits suffering in order to draw good from it, often a good we cannot see while we are inside the storm (CCC 311).

What you may be experiencing is not divine wrath, but:

• a season of trial,
• spiritual desolation,
• or a cross you never asked to carry.

None of these mean God has turned away from you.

What God May Be Saying in the Silence

God does not always speak in explanations. Sometimes He speaks through presence.

In this season, He may be whispering:

• Stay. Do not run. I am closer than you feel.

• You are allowed to be afraid.

• Bring it to Me

• You do not need to understand this to be faithful.

• This is not the end of your story.

St. Ignatius of Loyola taught that during times of desolation, we should not make drastic changes. When everything feels like it’s unraveling, the call is not to solve everything, but to hold fast.

Faith, in these moments, is not about clarity. It is about endurance.

Fear and Anger Do Not Offend God

God is not shocked by your fear. He is not threatened by your anger. He is not repelled by your questions.

The Psalms are raw, honest, and sometimes furious, and God Himself gave them to us as prayer.

You can pray:

“Lord, I feel abandoned. I feel punished. I don’t understand You right now. Please do not let me go.” That prayer alone is faith.

A Small Anchor for Survival Mode

When life feels like it’s about survival, do not aim for spiritual heroics. Aim for connection.

One small act is enough:

• Whisper “Jesus, I trust You” even if you don’t feel it.

• Hold a rosary without praying.

• Sit in silence before the Blessed Sacrament.

• Read Psalm 22 slowly.

Offer your fear for your family: “Lord, I unite this to Your Cross.”

Grace is still at work, even when consolation is gone.

Good Friday Is Not the End

If this season feels like a Good Friday moment, heavy, silent, and filled with grief, remember this: God does His deepest work in the dark.

You are not being punished. You are not forgotten. You are not alone.

The story is not finished yet.

And even now, especially now, God is closer than you think.

A Gentle Call to Action

If this spoke to your heart, consider leaving a comment, reaching out, or simply whispering a prayer for another soul who feels abandoned today.