Loneliness

Hi Friends,

I decided it was time for another blog. I have been going through a rather, hard season of loneliness, It has been rough to be honest. But in this day in age, I'm not the only one struggling with it, So many other folks are lonely and striving to find connection. I believe loneliness is something we aren't talking about enough. We need to talk about it. The church needs to talk about it. I have learned to do things on my own like hiking, hanging out at coffee shops, etc. But I do feel an ache for a group of people to hang out with. Sometimes I see a group hiking together or hanging out at restaurants or at coffee shops and I feel the ache. I have tried different groups that turned out only to be Christian by name and not by action. I thought I had made new friends on occasions only they turned out not to be friends. I see people get tagged in photos on social media. I rarely do.  I have made some connections online with people. I do have some friends I occasionally hangout with, But, yeah. That's where I am at right now. I am sure everyone of the bible heroes we have learned about struggled with loneliness too at some point. I just want to talk about a few and ponder. 

First up is Noah, We all know the story of Noah. He built the ark and all those animals and he and his family were spared. But I can't help but wonder if he and his family ever struggled with loneliness? He and his family probably spent a long time building that ark. You know people mocked them for it. So Noah and his family probably didn't have much community. We are told after the flood and Noah and his family are saved, Noah gets drunk and is found unclothed (Genesis 9:20-21). I imagine years of boat building and 40 days and nights in that boat with a tone of animals would do someone in, but I wonder if loneliness contributed to it as well? Just something to ponder.  

Let's check out another character in the bible. King David. He is known for slaying the giant, Goliath with just a sling and a stone. He played a harp in King Saul's court for a time. Eventually, King Saul would be stripped of his throne and it would be given to David. The story of the prophet, Samuel anointing him is an interesting one. Let's dive in:

1 Samuel 16:6-12 "When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the Lord." But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The Lord has not chosen this one either." Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has the Lord chosen this one." Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The Lord has not chosen these." So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep." Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives." So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one." 

It is pretty interesting that David is left out in the fields to tend to the sheep. It was an important job but I wonder if there were others who could have worked the fields. It had to have been lonely out tending the sheep. It was probably lonely not being brought in early on with his brothers. He may not have been thought too much of by his own family. Something to ponder. I don't know for sure. 

Here is a really good example of a person in the bible to who had struggled with a lot of loneliness and isolation. 

Matthew 9:20-22"Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment. 

So this woman had been struggling with bleeding problems for years. This would have made her an outcast. She would have been deemed unclean and treated less than a person. In that day, if you were in contact with an unclean person, you were unclean for a short time and had to bathe, wash your clothes, and perhaps even offer a sacrifice. So people would drive unclean people away. This woman would have for sure been super lonely. She had incredible faith. Jesus not only healed her, but gave her, her dignity back. It was huge thing for him to call her daughter. 

Someone else who can relate to being lonely is Jesus. There was a time we was betrayed, falsely accused and arrested and beaten and crucified. The great news he rose again three days later. You can read about it in the book of Matthew and the other gospels. Here we are going to dive in the night of his betrayal and arrest. 

Matthew 26:36-49 "Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to , "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he begun to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as my I will, but as you will." Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"  While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them. "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him." Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him.

So Jesus understands. He felt the heaviness of what he was about to do and needed the disciples and they fell asleep and one disciple betrayed him! And we find out later that when Jesus is taken away, the other disciples ran away abandoned him. Abandonment, betrayal and loneliness hit him all at once. Ultimately his Father was with him but he still dealt with those things. 

These are some instances that I think are good to ponder over. I am going to post some verses that will hopefully encourage anyone else struggling with loneliness. He plugging away. Find strength in the Lord. Keep trying and keep seeking. 

Psalm 25:14-18 "The Lord confides in those who fear them; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins."

Isaiah 41:10 "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."

Psalm 139:7-8 "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there."

God is with you and he is me in our loneliness. We can take comfort in that even when we feel like we have no one. I pray someone has been encouraged.