Why Be Lonely When It is So…..Lonely?
Not that being alone is always a bad thing…! It isn’t. Some of us are “people people” and crave being around others most of the time, but probably not all the time. Some are at the other end of the spectrum and prefer solitude ….but not solitude all the time. We say of this person, “He is not a people person.” When I read the scripture and focus on what Jesus told us are the most important of His commands, I see why being with people is so important, and I realize why being alone at times is a good thing.
In order to grow in love for our Father, we need to be alone with Him more. We need to think, pray, worship, learn, and live the scripture. Loving God takes focus and a relationship. Just as I can grow in love for my wife by wisely investing focused time with her, I can also grow in my relationship with God by being still before Him. Both relationships with God and others are special and needed by all of us everywhere.
Being lonely for a relationship with God is a good thing because He wants one with us too. When we recognize our desperate need for Him, we are blessed with a thirst like an animal who is dying of thirst. When it finds water to quench its thirst satisfaction and hope arise. He wants it to be personal, intimate, growing, and filled with love going both directions….from Him to us and from us to Him. That is the greatest commandment revealed in Matthew 22:37-38. What a beautiful gift to be loved by our Father in heaven and invited to love Him in return. He loves first.
Then Jesus gives the second greatest commandment, and it is like the first one because it calls for relationships built on love. Love your “neighbor” Jesus commands as you love yourself. Whether in friendships, marriage, family, neighborhoods, casual acquaintances or dealing with those who oppose us, we are to love others as Jesus loves us.
The song in the youtube.com link below has a new twist to the idea of loneliness that I have not thought of before. David Wilcox sings about being lonely as a reminder that we are designed for more. The loneliness is a hunger or thirst to fill the void with loving relationships. We don’t want average friendships, average marriages, average family ties, etc. No, sir or ma’am, we want more, better, healthier, abundant love relationships all around – with God and others.
So don’t settle for average or awful, ask God to show you what an abundant relationship can be with Him as our perfect Father and with others. I suggest you pray for them and claim I John 5:14-15. I know it is His will for us to abound in love. Philippians 1:9-11 makes that very clear. So don’t settle for lonely all the time. Trust God for a loving connection with Him by trusting Jesus Christ your Savior and mine to open doors into the hearts of those around you for deeper heart connections. Is that risky? Sure is. But it is worth it. Love is worth the struggle. God thought so and loved us so much He didn’t spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all.