Smile Through Loneliness

Scripture: Romans 8:31-39

Key Verse: Romans 8:38

When I first left home for college, I was really excited. I was about to get my first taste of “freedom” after being under my parents’ roof for eighteen years. I just knew that I would find a friend group that I could spend every minute of not being in class with. But I was sadly mistaken. If the truth be told, even now as I prepare to go into my senior year, there are very few weekends that I don’t spend alone. I have people that I consider friends, and I am beyond grateful for them. But part of me still gets discouraged when I remember that I don’t have the friendships with them that people dream of when they think about college. It is in those moments that I have had to learn to address that feeling of loneliness by spending time with God.

I know that God loves me, and I have never questioned it for a second (verbally that is.) However, there’s something about being alone in the flesh that infiltrates our spirit and makes us feel like no one cares. God said neither the present nor the future can separate us from His love. So that means that our present state of mind can’t stop Him from being there, and, if that feeling comes in the future, He is still going to love us. And some of us might say that love is different than someone being there for us and literally keeping us company. Well, I’m glad your mind went there. God knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5). He sent His son to die for us before we even set foot on the earth (John 3:16). Jesus Christ advocates for us with His father every time we do something crazy (1 Timothy 2:5). All of those instances of Him being there are rooted in His love. If that isn’t enough, you can thank God for the company of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us once we accept Him as our Lord and savior.

Loneliness can make our minds wander to the point where negative thoughts overwhelm us and make us start to question our reality. But even those negative thoughts can’t separate us from the love of God. Think about the story of Job who lost everything and yet he still didn’t curse God. He was dealing with loneliness that some of us will never be able to relate to. People around Job tried to get inside of his head and make him think that his physical loneliness could not justify his spiritual needs. Job understood as we should understand that God has our best interest in mind. He used that time alone to pray to God and get closer to Him. We should do the same. Instead of complaining about what we don’t have and who isn’t around, we can involve ourselves in activities that build a stronger relationship with God like listening to Christian podcasts or music, getting involved in small groups at church, or studying (not just reading) God’s word. These things can all bring us comfort and joy during times that can bring us down. Proverbs 16:27 reminds us all that “idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece” (TLB). So, we must keep our focus on Christ.

Loneliness can cause us to feel tons of negative emotions. However, in the midst of it all, we must remember that God is there for us, and he wants to see us happy. This is why He will never leave us alone. No matter how many times we turn on Him, He is always faithful to us. His consistency alone should give us a reason to smile during our lonely season.

Prayer: Lord thank you for being with me in my lonely seasons. Thank you for all that you did for me even before I took my first breath and for the stuff you are even doing for me today. Thank you for your Holy Spirit and for giving me an example of what to do in my lonely season. Lord, please help me to redirect my focus towards you when I feel lonely. Allow me to rejoice in your consistency. I love you and thank you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.