I’ve been talking about the loneliness epidemic, which is growing in our culture. If you are struggling with loneliness, remember first it’s part of being human. And yes, Christians are vulnerable to feelings of loneliness, and it is not necessarily a spiritual issue. Loneliness is a human condition common to everyone at some time in their life.
However, if you deal with loneliness in the wrong way, it could lead you to form harmful and inappropriate relationships, to go places and do things you know are not right just to try to find companionship and stop those feelings of loneliness. We all need friends and a support system, but the wrong friends will do you far more harm than good.
And keep this in mind: If you try to fill up that lonely place in your heart with people, before looking first to Jesus Christ, you are setting yourself up for further disappointment and it could simply make your loneliness worse rather than better. I had to learn this some years ago, when I had to make a choice to first seek the presence of Christ, to get to know him better, to allow his love to become more real and more powerful in my life, instead of trying to solve my loneliness by looking for a meaningful relationship.
A sure-fire way to combat feelings of loneliness is to quote Scripture and fill your mind with truth that can set you free. In verse 5 of Psalm 42, we read, my soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you…. Now this is a very good technique and habit. When you feel lonely, you should then force yourself to remember and recite out loud God’s goodness to you in times past.
Are you having a tough time today, feeling alone and lonely? Then, stop right now and talk to yourself; find some place where you can say something like, “Look, Mary, what is your problem? The God of all the Universe loves you and cares for you; he’s met your need time and again. Remember, Jesus will never leave you or forsake you, and you have a wonderful Friend in Jesus.” Just recite, out loud if possible, what you know to be true. Finding relief from loneliness is often a choice we make to replace wrong thoughts with right thoughts and decide to live in the truth of God’s Word.