This morning Andreas gave me his new blog post to read. Afterwards we talked about the topic of loneliness. I myself had also sometimes experienced situations that have to do with this feeling. That’s why I add a supplement to it here.
I remember sitting with some of my family about two years ago and when asked how I was doing, I replied, „I often feel lonely.”
I think we all know the feeling and times of loneliness, sometimes even combined with sadness and despair. It’s that feeling of no longer being a part of others’ lives, of being passed over or ignored, of being isolated. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.
How do I deal with my loneliness?
- I can find comfort in activities, sports, food, shopping, pills….
- By sinking into self-pity.
- I can expect others to meet my needs.…
OR …
I can go to my heavenly Father, cry out to Him about my feelings and let Him and His Word comfort me. In the end, only He can satisfy my needs, only with Him can my soul come to rest.
And God’s Son, Jesus Christ, understands me like no other, because He was abandoned in His greatest need by His friends (whom He had taken with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane); and even worse, He was abandoned by God, His Father. Why?
So that he could bring you and me back into a relationship with God, so that we would not have to be alone and lonely. He loves you so much, you are important to him. And he promised his spiritual children to always be with them (Mt 28:19/Heb 13:5).
Yes, it makes a difference if I have a relationship with God or not. Without Him, I am essentially lonely and alone – but with Him, I have a relationship with my heavenly Father and with my “brothers and sisters in faith”.
Asaph expresses some of this in Ps. 73:28 thus, “To draw near to God is good for me.” Or like one modern translation of the bible verse at the top of this post, which interprets it so beautifully in Ps. 63:5: “Your nearness satisfies the hunger of my soul like a banquet.”
I wish for you to go to Him in your loneliness and find a whole new appreciation for His nearness in your life. And that you will then also be able to comfort others who are lonely.
Greetings of love
Dietlind