Loneliness

“The LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.’ Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’” Genesis 2:16-18

In a true fellowship of believers, one emotion should never be known by anyone - loneliness. And yet in all too many groups of believers, there are those who live in a little, isolated world of their own choosing, and sometimes circumstances have made them alone.

How do you respond to a lonely person? Are you sensitive to their need for reassurance? They are valuable individuals and may be very intelligent people, but they are lonely.

Not your responsibility? Think again and read Galatians 6:2 - “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” The burden of loneliness divides the mind, clouds the heart, weakens the hands, weighs down the feet, and steals the smile. That burden can be lightened (if not lifted) by one who extends the hand of true Christian friendship.

Here’s an exercise for the lonely. Read and re-read Psalm 139 - the whole chapter. You’ll recognize God’s wonderful care and concern for you personally.

There is a distinction between being alone and being lonely.