There are a lot of lonely people in this world, adults and children alike. Have you ever been lonely? I mean, really lonely. Maybe you’re lonely now.
Lonely people aren’t necessarily all by themselves when not in the company of others. Sometimes they are shut off by themselves, and sometimes they may be in a surrounding with hundreds of others in the same location. There’s nothing like being in a restaurant, for example, watching others socialize, not being a part of it, and feeling a deep-seated loneliness. I’m familiar with that, as I’m sure others are too.
There are times when being alone is desired, such as when Jesus would go off by Himself to be alone. What did He do during that time though? I believe He spent most of His time, if not all of it, in prayer talking to the Father. We all need to have those times of just being alone with God. When you think about it though, we’re really not alone. We’re with God.
Unfortunately, thousands of people experience times of mild to excruciating loneliness, thinking not even God is there for them. Many are in prisons. Many are in, what seems to be, hopeless situations. Many are dying. Many are children, shunned or abused by others. Many may be experiencing the heartbreak of a shattered romance. Sometimes we aren’t as alone though as we think, and sometimes it’s very real.
Let’s face it loneliness is something we have all faced at one time or another, to varying degrees. Regardless of our feelings of despair in these situations, a peace beyond human understanding can be found in Jesus Christ.
One obvious fact comes to light; loneliness is a state of mind. It has nothing to do with being “alone,” or being in a crowd. Another fact has already been brought to light in the previous paragraph; there is a peace that only Jesus Christ can give.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)
We adults sometimes laugh off the loneliness of a teenager who is experiencing being shunned by their peers. Maybe they weren’t invited to a party, or they got dumped by their “love” at that moment. It may seem like nothing to us, but it is very real to them. Their loneliness hurts just as much as ours when we are in a more serious situation. If you as a teenager feel like your life is over because of your circumstances, know this; God cares. We older adults should care, and most of us do, but I guarantee you, God does care about you and your feelings. He wants you to have peace in your heart, and you can by knowing His Son Jesus. Read the life of Joseph in Genesis.
If you are on a hospital bed dying, no one else can walk down that road with you. You must travel it alone. Even though your family and the hospital staff are around you, you may be afraid. Jesus has already traveled that road and has conquered death and the grave. He wants you to take His hand (figuratively) and trust Him.
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)
“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:18)
Maybe you’re confined to a prison cell. Guilty or innocent, you too can have peace in this dark hour by putting your faith in Jesus Christ. He knows your plight, and wants you to have peace in Him.
“Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?” (Matthew 25:44)
Your world is falling apart. You lost your job, your home, and even your spouse turned against you and left with the children. The street is your home. The soup kitchen is your dinner table. Just as the previous verse says (Matthew 25:44), Jesus Christ wants you to reach out to Him. Maybe you, as the prisoner above, needed to come to the point in your life that there was nowhere else to turn, but to God.
The peace God gives cannot be explained, but it is real. Those who have it know it is real. It is as real as the hurt, anguish, worry and fear Satan has dumped on us, but get this; it is much more powerful. It overrides all the garbage Satan has used to bring us down. God’s peace will lift us up, but it can only be had by placing our complete trust in the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Jesus took Joseph from a hole in the ground and a prison to the throne of Egypt. He transferred the Apostle Paul from a murderer to the greatest Apostle and the greatest missionary of all times. He allowed the Apostle John, a quick-tempered hot-head, to see the future and write it all down for us. He changed Mary Magdalene from a woman possessed with seven devils to a saintly woman and the first person to see Him after He had risen from the grave. He took a small shepherd boy and made him a king.
What could he do with us, if we just gave ourselves totally to Him? The worries of life buckle our knees, but Jesus can pour strength in our souls.
Jesus experienced more loneliness than any of us will ever know. He faced the cross on our behalf, but overcame by constant communication with the Father. Regardless of what we are going through, and the absolute loneliness we feel, we are never alone when Jesus is in our heart. He wants us to call on the Father as often as possible and read what He has to say in His Word, the Bible.
Once we know Jesus, it is prayer and the Word that chases away those feelings of being alone. It is in Him we have comfort and find joy, even in the darkest hour. Don’t allow Satan to block you from the joy God wants to give you. Regardless of the circumstances, God is always there. You are not alone, and you are not forgotten.
Grant Phillips