Tag Archives: loneliness

Max Lucado – Loneliness

We’ll try anything to get rid of our loneliness. But should we? Should we be so quick to drop it? Could it be that loneliness is a gift? A gift from God? A friend turns away. The job goes bad. Your spouse didn’t understand. The church is dull. One by one he removes the options until all you have left is God. He would do that?  Hebrews 12:6 tells us, “The Lord disciplines those he loves.” If he must silence every voice, he will. He wants you to discover what David discovered and to be able to say what David said, “You are with me.”

Loneliness. Could it be one of God’s finest gifts? Scripture says, “Perfect love casts out fear.” If a season of solitude is his way to teach you to hear his song, don’t you think it’s worth it? So do I.

From Traveling Light

Charles Stanley – Conquering Loneliness

 

Psalms 25:15-22

I know the pain of loneliness. I was the only child of a single mother who had to work long hours to support us. My adult life has been marked by periods of emotional isolation as well. However, the Lord has never abandoned me to these feelings.

God desires that all people feel connected to Him and to each other. And in fact, we can be quickly comforted when we respond wisely to loneliness.

The first step is to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. But simply believing He exists isn’t enough. The Lord created mankind for fellowship, which is why a relationship with Him gives people a sense of oneness. The love of Christ forces loneliness out of the lives of God’s children.

Second, we must admit that we’re lonely. Some Christians incorrectly think they shouldn’t be susceptible to normal human feelings. But nothing in the Bible says we won’t endure emotional isolation. Not only men like David and Paul but even the Lord Himself knew the ache of feeling deserted (Psalms 25:16; 2 Timothy 4:16; Matthew 26:40; Matthew 27:46).

Finally, we should develop godly friends. These are the Christian brothers and sisters who will laugh, cry, and empathize with us. Above all, believers need friends who will continually point them to God and pray over them.

We can’t deny feelings of loneliness, nor can we run from them. A person who seeks ways to escape such feelings only broadens the gap between the Lord and himself. There is just one way to close the chasm and conquer loneliness—by drawing near to the Lord.

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Loneliness Cure

 

Mother Theresa said, “Loneliness is the leprosy of modern society. And no one wants anybody to know they’re a leper.” God understands loneliness. He created Heaven and Earth, beasts, birds, and fish, and said everything was good. Then He made man, looked at him and said, “It is not good that man should be alone.”

It is not good that the man should be alone.

Genesis 2:18

While yours may not be the loneliness of an Adam waiting for an Eve, you may still feel the emptiness caused by the lack of close communion with others. Jesus, in His commandment, offered a solution: “Love one another.” To do that requires you to extend yourself, a difficult thing for a lonely person to do. But someone has to be first! Be sympathetic, tender, and zealous to do good for others. If you are among those blessed with many friends, you can still lovingly befriend someone you know who may be lonely.

God, who created people to need one another, hears the cries of even the ones who are lonely in a crowd. Pray about the scourge of loneliness in America, even as you pray for the nation’s leaders who often find it is lonely at the top.

Recommended Reading: I Peter 3:8-16

Charles Stanley – Experiencing Loneliness

Charles Stanley

Hebrews 13:5

All of us feel alone from time to time. Poor health, a jam-packed work schedule, or trying circumstances can make it hard to stay connected. Moving to a new location, job, or school can also bring a sense of isolation. Once this season passes or we adjust to the new place, the feeling goes away.

But loneliness is different from aloneness—it involves a sense of separation from people and can intensify over time. In this state, we find it harder to reach out and easier not to be around others. When our mind starts telling us no one’s interested in what we have to say or do, we build a wall around our heart and allow access to very few. The more we withdraw, the worse we feel. Peace of mind eludes us, and loneliness weighs us down.

God never intended for us to live disconnected from one another. From the beginning, He purposed that we should enjoy an intimate relationship with Him and each other. First He established a personal relationship with Adam and then provided him with Eve. Our Creator knew it was not good for us to live in isolation (Gen. 2:18).

Note the order: Intimacy with God precedes intimacy with anyone else. In the absence of a personal relationship with Him, one is never truly at peace. The only way to be connected to the Father is by trusting Jesus as Savior (John 14:6). Whoever places faith in Him receives a new nature, becomes a member of God’s family, and experiences His peace (1:12; 14:27). If you’ve never accepted Christ’s invitation, you can pray right now to become God’s child.