Loneliness

"Throw all your anxieties upon Him, because he cares about you." - 1 Peter 5:7

Loneliness is everywhere, but we don't talk about it too often. Loneliness is what we feel when we are isolated from others. It is often less to do with others' physical absence, and more to do with feeling disconnected, alienated or misunderstood by them.

Loneliness is not about spending time by yourself, you can feel lonely in a room full of people, or living within a family.

Mother Teresa said:

"The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved."

We are kidding ourselves if we think that human beings, who come in and out of our personal worlds, can meet all of our needs for connection. It would not be enough, no matter how kind and consistent they are.

When we are struggling through a tough situation, it is comforting to know that someone understands what we are going through.

Jesus knows what it feels like to be isolated, and he understands when we suffer our own loneliness. He was often unappreciated, put down and rejected.

He was indeed lonely at the cross when His disciples deserted Him, and all those who crowded around Him, who mocked Him and cast lots for His clothes. At His death, he experienced that even God had forsaken Him.

His cry from the cross in Mark 15:34 is heart breaking:

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Jesus did not just feel forsaken by God, He was completely cut off from the Father. He took on our sin and all its consequences.

This must have been especially painful for Jesus.

Jesus was sinless and had never known what it was like to be separated from His father.

Jesus went to the place of greatest isolation, alienated from the world and God, so that we will never be lonely.

No one has experienced or understands the depth of loneliness like Jesus.

Relief comes only as we acknowledge our loneliness and turn to God and His Word, for the help and understanding we need. He completes what is missing from the moment we are joined to Him in faith, and brought to completion in glory. God created us for communion with Him and therefore loneliness will be fully eradicated only when we get to heaven.

In Scripture, we discover that God is present in our loneliness. He is there in times of grief and in times of discouragement. He is there when others forsake us, and when our hopes are disappointed. He never leaves us, not even when our loneliness springs from our sin and bad choices.

The Bible calls us to cast our burdens and anxieties on God ( 1 Peter 5:7). He deeply cares for us and loves us. He wants to hear from us when we are struggling, and when we feel like we are lonely.

When we come to God in prayer, He surrounds us and guards us with His perfect peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). He calls us to pray at all times (Ephesians 6:18) and "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

After all, how can we be lonely when we are always talking to God?

We were created for community and we have the Church, a body of brothers and sisters who are called to love one another, build up one another, care for one another, pray for one another, and encourage one another in our walk with Jesus.

Ultimately, those who belong to God through Jesus are never truly alone, and because that's true, loneliness does not characterise us.

Isn't that such a relief!

God bless