What to Do When You’re Lonely (Isaiah 41:10)
By: Anne Peterson
Today's Bible Verse: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10
One thing I am continually hearing from people is how lonely they feel. It makes me thankful for my family. And yet, my heart hurts for them.
With the pandemic we have gone through and are still experiencing, many have lost loved ones. All of us lost community as we previously knew it. So what can we do when we’re lonely?
One thing that’s vital is to fill our minds with the truth. It’s pretty certain that the enemy of our souls knows we humans are frail and the power of loneliness to tempt us to despair.
When our emotions are fragile, it is imperative that we focus on what is true so we don’t succumb to the enemy’s lies.
Lies like:
You are all alone.
No one cares about you.
Everyone else is with someone.
There may not be another person living with you right now, but God promised that he would not leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). God tells us he will hold your right hand. He will say to you “Fear not, I am the one who helps you,” ( Isaiah 41:13).
And those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Savior have the Holy Spirit indwelling us (Romans 8:11).
When we believe the lie that no one cares about us, we are forgetting all the verses where God tells us how much he cares. God notices when even a tiny sparrow falls to the ground, and he tells us that we are worth much more than those precious little birds (Matthew 10:31).
God also tells us to cast our cares on him because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). God provides whatever we need. List all the things God has done for you when you’re feeling low. And thank him for each one. The enemy will be defeated, and our heavenly Father will be pleased.
One productive thing we can do when we feel alone is to ask God who we can reach out to. The chances are if you are lonely and you ask God to let you know someone else who may be lonely, God will let you know. And think of how wonderful that person will feel if you take a few minutes and call them, or text them, or even sit down and pen them a note. And I’m sure you’ll share their joy.
The enemy wants us to be focused on ourselves. He loves it when we feel sorry for ourselves because when we’re in that state of mind, our eyes are on ourselves instead of on God. Satan hates it when we think about the Lord.
Another thing we can do when we’re feeling lonely is to ask God to draw near to us. Take out a hymnal, or put on some music that draws you to the Lord. Or open the love letter God left us, His Word. And read one of the Psalms.
When we’re lonely, the enemy lurks around like a lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). We don’t have to be that person.
Barbara Streisand used to sing the song, with the words “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” God made us for relationships. And if we feel alone, we can sit in silence and meditate on who God is. And when we do that, we just have to stop and talk to him. The one who patiently waits for us to spend time with him. He’s always there.
All Along
Sometimes I really struggle, Lord
when I am feeling low.
It feels as if the world’s moved on,
as people come and go.
And yet, if I can just be still,
I realize I’m wrong.
For I have not been left alone;
you’ve been here all along.
- Anne Peterson © 2016
Anne Peterson is a poet, speaker, published author of 16 books, including her latest book, Always There:Finding God's Comfort Through Loss. Anne’s first memoir is: Broken:A story of Abuse, Survival and Hope. She has published children’s books and poetry books, such as Droplets: Poetry for Those in Grief, and He Whispers: Poetic talks with God. Anne is also a regular contributor to Crosswalk.com. Anne’s poetry has been sold in gift stores since 1996. Check out Anne’s website at www.annepeterson.com or connect with her on Facebook.
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