Loneliness

So it's been a real challenge this week, being completely on my own with no one around that I know, and no one my own age (Nearest person i've found my own age was 30!!!) It's felt a bit like being thrown in the deep end, and although I am fully capable of meeting a stranger and talking to them, I have had sooo many awkward moments with people, today I was driven by two different people for an hour who I didn't know at all. This whole experience did a feel a bit overwhelming, but God's helped me very much to bring everything back into focus. But today, I wanted to talk a little bit about being alone and how God is with us and examples through the bible. Nothing too heavy, some gentle reminders for when people are in this situation!


Matthew  27 v 46: About three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" This means, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"


First example - Jesus is being crucified and not only being on that cross would have been pretty lonely, everyone went against him, he had been dis-owned, everyone sentenced him to earth, there were very few people who were supporting him at this point. And even here, Jesus, son of God, is asking why God has abandoned him. He hasn't, we all know this but it's okay to feel lonely, Jesus did too. This really shows how human Jesus was, he still had feelings. It's easy to say from hindsight and in perspective, oh God is with us all the time, he never leaves us. But it's in real and focused situations where we need to remind ourselves that it's okay to feel lonely as Jesus did, but God never leaves us.


Psalm 68 v 6a: God gives the lonely a home


Second example - God is a friend out the outcasts, the people rejected by society, the homeless, the poor, the widow, the orphan. Those who have no one else, God is with them. All those who feel alone, who are alone, God has them in the palm of his hand. How reassuring this is, that God is with us, when we're alone. God, who made the universe, who is so amazing and powerful, is with people like outcasts. Okay, this isn't to say that if we're not outcasts, God isn't with us and supporting us, but using the example that God is with the lowest of the low (well considered lowest of the low) and to him, trivial things like caste or race or any other different ways to separate society doesn't matter to him. 


Job 19 v 13 - 19: "God has made my brothers my enemies, and my friends have become strangers. My relatives have gone away, and my friends have forgotten me. My guests and my female servants treat me like a stranger; they look at me as if I were a foreigner. I call for my servant, but he does not answer, even when I beg him with my own mouth. My wife can't stand my breath, and my own family dislikes me. Even the little boys hate me and talk about me when I leave. All my close friends hate me; even those I love have turned against me. 


Third example - Here, Job must have felt extremely lonely. His brothers, friends, relatives, guests, servants, wife, family, sons, and those he loves have all turned against him. I don't think that leaves many people left! At the time, this must have been such a low point in his life, and here he is despairing. But God never leaves him, he never leaves him to defend himself. At the end of Job, he is very blessed and live a long life with lots of children. This point is about, even though you may feel lonely, it won't stay that way forever, look at the bigger picture and it will get better. 


2 Timothy 4 v 16 - 18: The first time I defended myself, no one helped me; everyone left me. May they be forgiven. But the Lord stayed with me and gave me strength so I could fully tell the Good News to all those who are not Jews. So I was saved from the lion's mouth. The Lord will save me when anyone tries to hurt me, and he will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Glory forever and ever be the Lord's. Amen.


Fourth example - I love this passage so much. Again it highlights Paul's loneliness, but firstly he forgives the people who leaves him. It's so easy to stay angry and hurtful at people who leave us, but at looking at the bigger picture, it's in God's plan and may end up benefiting you more! The second part of this, is that God stays with Paul and gives him strength. There may be several reasons why you feel lonely, may be because you are standing up for your belief and your faith. But remember God blesses those who are persecuted, and he saves and rescues those who try to hurt those doing God's will!


So:
It's okay to feel lonely, God is friends of the lonely, You won't be lonely forever, God will always stay with you!