Loneliness

The U.S. Surgeon General just came out with a Report bringing attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country.  The physical health consequences of poor or insufficient connection include a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults. Additionally, lacking social connection increases risk of premature death by more than 60%. Social connection is beneficial for individual health and also improves the resilience of our communities. (source: https://shorturl.at/aKLT9)

Perhaps you are lonely or know someone that is. Loneliness can come upon any of us at different times in our life. Even people with 100’s of “Friends” on their social media account can actually be lonely. You see loneliness can come upon us even when we have people around us. Sometimes we do not feel any real meaningful connection with them, we can feel misunderstood, unheard or even unseen.

God created us with a desire to be part of a community and have meaningful connection with others. A variety of factors often contribute to the lack of “connections” in relationships that we can experience within families, communities, churches and neighborhoods. Many of these factors are things that are out of our control , but the result can bring about loneliness.

What To Do When We Are Lonely

As Christians, the first way to fight loneliness is to reach out to God in prayer, bible study and meditation.  God’s scriptures remind us that He is always there and will never forget or leave us.

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there.” 

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you one the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.”

Psalm 139:7-8 & Isaiah 49:15-16

Pray to God and ask Him to pour out His gifts of love, peace, and joy.   Ask Him to fill you with hope and to show you that He is walking beside you and that He is with you.  Ask Him to personally encourage you.  Remember that no one friend, family member, spouse, or child can meet all of your needs.  Look to God to fill all your physical, spiritual and emotional needs and pray that He brings people into your life that you can connect and build friendships with.

The next thing we can do is reach out to others and find ways to serve.  Focusing on others and their needs will help us to look outward and direct our love towards others. This can be through calls, letters, meeting with them in person.  You can serve others by praying for them.

“God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.”

1 Peter 4:10 (LB)

Truth Over Lies

We fight a battle against an unseen enemy who wants to separate us from God and puts thoughts and lies into our minds (Ephesians 6:10-13) that do not align with God’s truth.  Each of us needs to guard our minds against the lies and replace them with the truth of God.

Lie	Truth	Scripture
I am not worthy	God says I am worthy	“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well.” Psalm 139:14
I am alone	God is always with us	“Fear not I am with you.”  Isaiah 41:10
I am invisible	God sees us	“And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God sees me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that sees me?” Gen 16:13
No one loves me	God loves me	“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Rom 5:8
I can’t do anything	With God all things are possible	“I can do all things through Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:13)

How Can You Help Others?

Make an effort to reach out to those who you know are more isolated and alone.  Call, write, and text them to let them know you are thinking and praying for them.

Ask God to bring to your mind those that you can reach out to with love and kindness.

When you are in a group, notice if others are feeling left-out and include them in your conversations and activities.

Seek ways to serve and help others in your community, church, and family.

“Beloved, Let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we out to love one another.” 

1 John 4:7-11

The God Who Sees

You Never Walk Alone