Loneliness

by mtnorwaymommy

Adam sat in the garden, rubbing his eyes.  Fresh out of surgery. And God brought him Eve.  A helper. A companion. A wife.

Together, they raised children.  Lost their home. Experienced great sorrow. Companions in the garden. In life.

Marriage, for many, appears to be the perfect cure to the loneliness we experience in this life.  Often, it is a genuine source of joy, but even in a relationship where you are chosen, there are times of loneliness and disappointment.

And then there is the blessing of family, parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins. So much laughter.  Great burgers. Fierce badminton contests. Dedicated rounds of Scrabble and Rummicub. Psalm 68:6 reminds us that “God sets the lonely in families.” But we also find some of the most fertile ground for hurt, as well. Those who we hug closest can sometimes wound deeper than those who shake our hand.

Friendships are sweet, but changing.  Beloved companions move away. Distractions of life keep us from consistent coffee dates. Sometimes, there is a quiet hurt, and a distancing that we may not even understand. We sit alone, scratching our head, wondering how we got here.

I enjoy a sweet marriage, committed family, and precious friendships.  I am thankful. And these relationships all receive intentional nurture.  I am blessed. But some days I am lonely.

I spend lots of time with people.  Good, kind people. But there is still a part of my heart that lives in isolation.  When I feel lonely, I am reminded that I am made not only for relationship with delightful human beings, but also for friendship with God.

He created a part of my heart just for Him.  No one else can fully satisfy that lonely place. Each of us is created in His image, and when I look to Him, there is a warming in my heart that cannot be found in any other relationship. He called to Adam and Eve in the garden. He visited the prophet Samuel in the night. Abraham was counted His friend. He desires each of us.

When we open up our hearts to know Him, we hear Jesus say things like this,

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

When I am alone, I especially experience the comfort of God.  I am free from distraction.  I can talk, and He listens.  When I am quiet, I hear from Him through His Word.  There are those times where I know a wise answer is not my own inspiration, but His.  He knows me, even when I don’t know me.  And His love is unfailing.

C.S. Lewis, a favorite writer, put it this way,

” If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

You were made for Heaven, created to enjoy and glorify God.

In your loneliness, seek the friendship of God.  Desire it. Develop it.  Pursue it.

He is the great answer to our loneliness.