The solution to loneliness is not to give in or give up~or do what everyone else does~or go where everyone else goes~or look like and speak like and think like and act like the world around you so you won’t stand out so sharply from the crowd. The solution is not to withdraw into an uninvolved, inactive life. The solution is found when you discover meaning in the midst of loneliness as God Himself shares your loneliness while you walk with Him and work for Him.
Two thousand years ago another solitary figure stood out in history. He stood alone against all the visible and invisible forces of evil in the universe. The sin of all mankind was placed upon Him as He walked to the place of sacrifice, carrying His own means of execution. He was betrayed by one of His best friends and denied by another. Not one person stood with Him-not the blind man to whom He had given sight, not the deaf man to whom He had given hearing, not the lame man to whom He had given strength. He was crucified on a Roman cross alone . . . so that you need never be alone-ever again.
Do you feel overwhelmed and smothered by pressure? Are you desperate for “breathing room”? Do you try to escape the stress through . . .
an extended vacation,
therapeutic counseling,
alcohol,
drugs,
entertainment, or
a romantic liaison . . .
only to find when you stop to assess your condition you are no better than you were before, because the pressure is from within?
Only God has the power to lift the pressure from within you. Your circumstances may remain the same, but He has the power to give you breathing room. He can give your spirit peace and rest, even as He gives your life a new dimension. Just ask Him.
In what area of your life do you need illumination? Discouragement about the future and the direction we have chosen, depression over the lack of fulfillment in our lives, or disillusionment by our previous attempts to find meaning for life through organized religions can all plunge us into the darkness. Do you ever wonder,
“What is the meaning to my life?”
“Why is genuine happiness so elusive?”
“Why do I feel guilty?”
“Why do I feel afraid?”
“Is there a God?”
“Is there life after death?”
God’s written Word and the answers we find there turn our darkness into light. God’s Word “is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” So . . . follow the light!
Have your thoughts been similar to these?
God, where have You been?
Why did You let this happen?
I just don’t understand.
Are you overlooking the fact that Jesus has drawn near to you?
Are you blinded to His presence by your own tears?
Are you deafened to His gentle voice by your own accusations?
While God doesn’t always protect those He loves from suffering or answer our prayers the way we ask Him to, He does promise in His Word that He will be present with us in the midst of our suffering and pain. He said, “Fear not. . . . When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. . . . For I am the Lord, your God . . . your Savior; . . . you are precious and honored in my sight, and . . . I love you” (Isa. 43:1-4, NIV).
Throughout the Bible, we are given examples of those who waited and were blessed, as well as those who refused to wait and suffered the consequences. For instance:
Abraham had to wait for the birth of Isaac; he grew so impatient, he tried to help God out and had Ishmael instead. His impatience delayed God’s blessing for another fourteen years and produced turmoil that exists to this day.
Joshua had to wait seven days as he obediently marched around Jericho before God rewarded his patience and brought the walls down.
David, an anointed king, waited fourteen years in exile before God rewarded his patience by placing him on the throne as the greatest king of Israel. From personal experience he testified, “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
