Life's
challenges often isolate us and cause us to understand loneliness like we never
experienced it before now. We feel abandoned, neglected and even ignored.
Our
friends surround us during the funeral of our loved one; but then they forget
to call, come over to visit, invite us to their home or on an outing in the
ensuing weeks.
This
loneliness causes us to look inward and we find a void there as well. God seems
distant and we either panic or get angry with Him for forsaking us.
There
is no Biblical evidence that God ever leaves His children. We leave Him, but He
never leaves or forsakes us, and He always stays closer to us than a brother
(Hebrews 13:5; Proverbs 18:24).
We
often develop expectations and requirements, which we imagine God fulfilling.
We have our own timetable and we are devastated when God does not meet our
demands.
We
seek blessings, which He knows are not for our good at this time in our life.
He has other plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), but we often have no patience to
wait on God's timing to meet our needs.
God
knows everything about our life from beginning to end (Proverbs 5:21). He
promises to meet all of our needs through His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19).
Rather
than stewing in the juices of our loneliness, we can take up a hobby, join a
civic organization or exercise at the local health club. Getting more involved
with our church family is the best use of our unscheduled time.
Prayer:
Father
God, teach us that rather than focusing on our desires, we can view the needs
of others around us and pray about You using us to meet their needs. Allow Your
Spirit to guide us to the exact person You want us to help. Otherwise, we may
not be in Your will and we may thwart the plans You have for that person.
Open
our eyes and allow us to meet new people, which we can invite to join us at our
church or our local Bible study. Remind us to look for people sitting alone, so
we can greet them and allow them to see Your peace and joy in us to bring them
a smile to encourage their day.
Thought
for the Day:
Sometimes
we accuse God of not caring; however, hindsight always reveals the effort of
God's Spirit behind the scenes, working out all things for our eventual good.
-
Romans 8:28; 1 Peter 5:7
