Loneliness is real and it appears to be affecting more and more people . . .
Not too long ago, a good friend shared with God Has Spoken Ministry that she began to have an aching feeling in 2012. The feeling started shortly after her mother passed. It was a longing for someone whom she loved deeply.
Describing her pain, Taylor stated that it occurred whether she was by herself or with friends. Sitting in church surrounded by people, going out to dinner with someone special or laughing with a colleague did not stop the loneliness from coming over her. Birthdays, holidays, any day-the pain stayed with her, sometimes growing even stronger as she thought about no more hugs or shared laughter.
Dr. David Jeremiah identifies loneliness as a giant to be conquered. He describes loneliness as a sick feeling in the stomach that seltzer water won’t cure. It’s an anxiety that doesn’t come or go, but remains with you at all times and smothers you in the still of night. It’s a sharp pang that jolts through you when you hear a certain old song or revive an old memory. It’s a subtle stress that quietly wears you down until you feel devoid of energy or enthusiasm. Above all, loneliness is a longing for completeness. https://www.davidjeremiah.ca
We do not know if you have ever experienced loneliness. Nor do we know how you would describe your loneliness if you have experienced it. What we do know, loneliness is real. And it appears to be affecting more and more people as we maneuver in this era of COVID-19.
Recently, the Associated Press (AP) published an article entitled, Loneliness is rampant. A simple call, or hug, may be a cure. Interestingly, the article stated that, a month before a global pandemic was declared, a National Academies report showed that one-third of U.S. adults aged 45 and up were lonely. Surveys have surprisingly found higher rates in younger adults.
Suffice it to say, either you are lonely or someone in your circle is lonely.
Looking for Help?
Many are turning to mental health experts. Others are engaging with volunteers who offer socially distanced conversations or not so socially distanced activities. We do not discourage anyone from working with mental health experts or finding positive ways to combat the giant of loneliness.
However, please do not forget your one sure source of comfort, the Word of God. Many of us fail to avail ourselves of the benefits of the Word of God. Instead, we choose to turn to human resources. God’s Word is the guide that will help us to deal with any situation, including loneliness. It offers hope to the believer in times where there appears to be no hope.
God promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. Sometimes it might be necessary to remind ourselves that God is with us. Are you a believer? Then you have a God who is with you forever.
My God, My God, Why . . .?
Dr. David Jeremiah stated that loneliness is a longing for completeness. In other words, a person or persons are missing from our lives. There is a separation that has occurred. God’s Word teaches us that Jesus understands how we feel when we are lonely.
Jesus was separated from God: The Father and The Holy Ghost while dying on the cross for our sins. The impact of the separation was so extreme that Jesus cried out, My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? (Matthew 27:46, NLT). Jesus had lost His completeness with God.
The cry, My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? should be a source of comfort to us. Jesus is the compassionate Savior. His cry tells us that if no one else understands or can feel our loneliness, He can. And because He can, we can count on His comfort.
God has made a promise to those of us who believe in Him. This promise is found in Philippians 4:19 in the words of the Apostle Paul (NLT): And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
The Ultimate Question
Are you or the person in your circle who is lonely willing to accept God’s comfort? God loves us so much that He is waiting to comfort and guide us as we deal with the pangs of loneliness. His comfort and guidance, however, does not mean that He will bring a person or persons back into our lives. God will comfort and guide us in ways that will allow us to grow in our relationship with Him. Our relationship with God will move us from a dependence upon the person or persons who are no longer in our lives into a dependence upon Him. The question however is, Will we or the person in our circle trust Him enough to allow Him to help us overcome the pain of loneliness.
God Has Spoken Ministry (GHSM) is one email away. Please allow us to pray with you as you deal with the pain of loneliness. https://godhasspokenministries.com/contact/
God Has Spoken Ministry, Celebrating God: The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost