“In His infinite goodness, God never forsakes those who do not want to forsake Him” (St. Francis de Sales).
A word of consolation from St Francis de Sales that comforts us. Indeed, in spite of all our efforts and good will, it sometimes seems that we are far from God, as if we have been unfaithful to Him in a very subtle way. Various temptations can reinforce this impression. It can also happen that unexpected setbacks shake us to the point of confusion and abandonment. But none of this can separate us from God’s unfailing love, and we can cling to the certainty that our Father will never abandon us. It is in times of crisis that He is especially close to us, and He wants us to be convinced of this, even when we feel dark inside.
What remains is the fear that we might abandon Him. Of course, we must remain vigilant and watch for even the smallest deviations, without overlooking them. It is advisable to tell God again and again that we love Him and that we never want to leave Him, and to ask Him to help us in every temptation. We can also tell the Lord, as some certainly have done, that we would rather die than fall into mortal sin and remain in it.
But it is even more effective to immerse ourselves in the love of God, so that the Father can make His dwelling place in us and, through His Spirit, always carry out the necessary corrections in our walk. In this way, love grows and so does the certainty that God will never abandon us. The more His love dwells in us and permeates our human love, the more strength we will have to resist the temptations that could lead us away from God.