I think a lot of people are lonely and it’s hard when someone you love is feeling that way.
But loneliness is very common and it hits people from every station and walk of life from the very young to the elderly. the good news is that Jesus' heart is so compassionate and loving toward the lonely. I believe His heart hurts for us when we feel lonely and He longs to gather us into His loving arms like a mother hen gathers its chicks under her wings.
However, many times we don’t allow God to do that for us. Instead, people self-medicate with alcohol, drugs, sex, other relationships, or the accumulation of material possessions to try and numb and dull the pain of their loneliness. These things might work for a little while, but they don’t ever address our loneliness or how we are really feeling deep down.
That's because loneliness often comes from our brokenness – brokenness in our relationships, in our past, in our failings, disappointments, grief, and our sorrow. But these are the very issues, which Jesus wants to heal in us. He said He came to “heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, deliverance to those who are bound, and to comfort and console all those who mourn and sorrow.” (Isaiah 61:1-3; Psalm 147:3)
Every day He reaches out and calls to us to come to Him with our burdens, our loneliness, and our pain, and wants us to know Him as the one constant presence and friend in our life that sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)
A guy named Paul whose story is documented in the Bible knew what it was to be lonely and abandoned by all he knew. He said, “The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:16-17 NLT)
In Paul’s loneliness, he discovered Jesus there with him, because loneliness is an opportunity for Jesus to make himself known to us. It is as if our loneliness is an onramp into intimacy with Jesus in a way that we would never really experience or get to know him while we are surrounded by other people or things to distract us.
Jesus says, even if your father, mother, sister, brother, children or friends have forsaken you He has not.
“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will care of me’ (Psalm 27:10)
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16–17 ESV)
Jesus promises that He goes with you wherever you are, and He will never leave you nor forsake you.
When you call upon Him and seek His face and presence He promises to answer you; to comfort and heal your brokenness, to be with you in trouble; to honour you, and to reward you with long life and the gift of His salvation. (Psalm 91:14-15; Psalm 147:3)
Today allow Jesus to comfort you in your loneliness for He has and will always be right there with you, so that you are never alone.
“He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
“So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
Prayer: Lord I ask that you comfort me. Please help me to know and experience your presence afresh today and to really know deep down that you are always with me, and that I am never alone for wherever I go, you promise you are with me also. In Jesus name Amen.
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