When Loneliness Hits: Finding Comfort in Christ
The Myth of Loneliness
Do you believe that loneliness is always a result of something bad, and therefore, no one should have to experience it? This mindset can lead us to fight against loneliness with everything we’ve got, resulting in no peace, no joy, and no delight in the Lord. But what if we’re wrong? What if loneliness isn’t always bad?
God’s Design for Humanity
In the beginning, God created Adam, and then He put him in the garden alone. This wasn’t because of sin; it was simply God’s design. And yet, God didn’t leave Adam alone for long. He provided a companion, Eve, to solve Adam’s aloneness. This shows us that God never intended for humans to be alone; He designed us to yearn for connectedness.
The Emptiness of Loneliness
The emptiness that often accompanies aloneness – loneliness – is meant to be filled, and most fully by Christ Himself. Lydia Brownback offers biblical encouragement for women to see how God can redeem seasons of loneliness and draw them to the only true and lasting remedy: union with Jesus.
Panic and Rebellion
When we panic, our heart races, and our mind scrambles to find a way out. We might turn to escape methods like television, Facebook, food, or alcohol, but these only entrench our loneliness. Sometimes, we might even strategize a radical life-turnaround, but this doesn’t guarantee that our loneliness will be remedied. The bottom line is, we can’t fix our loneliness; we haven’t been created with that capability.
Goal Assessment
So, what’s our goal? If we’re lonely because we have no Christian fellowship or Bible-believing church to attend, then making a change is a wise plan. But if we’re believing the lies – loneliness is bad, I shouldn’t have to be lonely, and I can fix my loneliness – then those lies will drive us. We need to assess our goals prayerfully, through time in God’s word.
Fellowship and Community
Paul shows us one way out of our aloneness: by recognizing our gifts and using them to serve others in the body of Christ. John also reminds us that our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. We can’t fix our loneliness, but we can put it to use. The real question is, are we willing?
Replacing Lies with Truth
Elisabeth Elliot writes that when we surrender ourselves to God, we must replace our paltry thoughts of Him with the truth of His lovingkindness and tender mercy. Lies about loneliness are dislodged only by truth about God. He has not left us to solve our plight on our own. Nothing has slipped through the cracks. We are not stuck in Plan B, no matter what brought us to the place we’re in today.
Crying Out to Jesus
Peter began sinking in the wind and the waves because he took his eyes off Jesus. Once that happened, he could see no way out, no rescue. But rather than fight harder to save himself, he cried out, “Lord, save me.” And immediately, Jesus reached out and pulled Peter into the boat. We can do the same. We can cry out to Jesus, and He will pull us into the safety of His presence.
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