Unfortunately, loneliness is something that consumes my life. It also consumes a lot of my friends lives. Nothing can heal the loneliness in our lives except the goodness of our Lord.
I have read book after book to have the constant reminder that my worth is found in the Lord. If you are suffering from this loneliness too, walk along with me as I dig deeper into this feeling.
I recently read Unvited by Lysa TerKeurst and Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. Both of these books have spoken so much truth into my life about the moments of loneliness.
Loneliness doesn't only happen in times of singleness. It can be because we are feeling left out from friends, or because someone suffers from depression, or just a phase of life. There is not one solution to loneliness or any struggle. I think at times women believe they need a man to heal the emptiness, I promise that is not true. ONLY God can heal a wound like loneliness.
As you work toward overcoming this time of life, look for gifts from the Lord. He is using this time in your life. I want to walk through some exercises with you to overcome. Grab a piece of paper and lets walk through it.
First, I want you to look for gifts from the Lord.
1. Look for the gift of being humbled.
2. Look of the gift of being lonely.
3. Look for the gift of silence.
Now, think about your current struggle with loneliness and journal how you can look for one of these gifts in your situation.
During this time of loneliness or silence, it is easy to dwell in that moment. Take a few minutes to list out the people in your life (past or present) whose relationship with you has been a gift from God. Maybe you need to step outside your circle to cultivate new relationships.
Isolation can often happen as a result of a calling or seasonal assignment, and the busyness of our assignment can leave little time for relationships. Take time to write out what your week looks like - from waking up to going to bed. Then, find some white space in your calendar to schedule some much-needed time with friends and family. Write out your plans and commit to following through!
Now that you have looked for gifts, considered your relationships and are ready to invest in relationships, lets spend some time in the word. Look up the following verses and write on notecards. Spend some time the next few weeks memorizing and investing in the word.
Isaiah 41:10
Matthew 28:20b
2 Timothy 4:16-17
Psalm 118:6-7
Lamentations 3:22-24
John 14:16-17
In addition, lets consider promises of God. If you don't familiarize ourselves with the promises of God, we won't be able to remember them during the times our faith begins to fail us. According to each of the following passages of Scripture, write down what God has promised you:
Matthew 11:28-29
John 16:33
Matthew 6:8
Philippians 4:19
Isaiah 30:19
Romans 8:28
Psalm 37:4-5
The promises that the Lord gives us is important because we are weak. Remembering God's Word when our faith fails is how we can get through.
Now, I want you to think about what is it that is exhausting you? Keeping you up at night? Making you wan to give up? Take a moment to lay it all before God. Talk to Him about the thing you're tired of trying to handle on your own. Then write a prayer asking God for strength.
Do you often look at other people, wishing your life looked more like theirs? Does your day-to-day life seem pale in comparison to everything going on in their life? List some things that you know cause the seed of envy to take root in your heart, then combat it with what you need to be reminded of - whether it's a promise from God or a verse from the Bible.
This isn't the cure for loneliness but these should help you get to a place that you are knowledge of what the Lord promises you and where your loneliness comes from. Loneliness is not a feeling of the Lord but another way Satan uses and destroys. Don't allow the enemy to get the better of you but allow the Lord to use you.
