When we are feeling down and depressed, should we think that God had abandoned us?

No! In this chapter, Thomas a Kempis portrays Christ speaking to someone who is discouraged and feeling low. Our Lord assures such persons that our feelings are not a good guide to our true state. We are often closer to God than we might think. And God knows how to allow our spirits to sink lest we get puffed up by mistaken notions of our own spiritual greatness. This is a very encouraging chapter for those who face interior difficulties.