Loneliness Can Be Soul-Crushing
Key Verse to Read and Treasure
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted—Psalm 25:16 (ESV)
For Insight
Loneliness can be unbearable; soul and spirit-crushing. Loneliness is defined as “the quality of being unfrequented and remote; isolated. The state of being alone and feeling sad about it.”
Feeling alone can lead us to do all kinds of things: doing things that are even more depressing and saddening, that only intensify our feelings. When we are lonely for long periods, we might lose the desire to eat or begin overeating. Some people experience loneliness to the point of losing all desire to live. Loneliness is real. It is not isolated to our frame of mind but can be an overpowering emotion that engulfs us emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
God wants us to deal with loneliness in healthy ways. He can help us identify why we are feeling lonely and open our mind to see ways we can address it. When David felt that intense pain of loneliness creep in, he quickly turned to God. Not because God would take the place of human companionship but because God could help him endure and do things that were helpful and wise. As a young shepherd boy, he had experienced loneliness and when it was just him and the sheep, he discovered he could turn to God and God would help turn his loneliness to joy, patience, and peace.
We don’t have to be a shepherd boy or girl, man, or woman to experience loneliness. We might be working remotely, hospitalized, sick and shut-in, separated from family and friends because of geographical distance, distanced from family because of differences and unhealed issues in our relationships, and we might be lonely for God. Whatever our reasons for feeling lonely God will help us if we cry out to him like David learned to do.
Life Lesson
All of us feel lonely at times. We can be in a room or house full of people and still feel alone. Until we are joined to God in meaningful relationship with him some part of us will always feel lonely or alone. That’s because there is place in our being only God can fill. God does not imply we can do without human companionship because he also made us for community but when we have an intimate relationship with him we can draw from his strength to endure times of loneliness.
Dear God,
Touch the heart that is hurting today because of feeling alone. Bring the hurting and alone the comfort only you can give. Your Holy Spirit is able to enter in and replace feelings of loneliness with contentment and peace. Amen
Digging Deeper
Devotionally Yours 