“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified…for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6
Last
year Cigna Health Care surveyed over 10,000 Americans about loneliness. The
researchers found that 61% of respondents—more than three out of five American
adults—reported dealing with some level of loneliness. 71% of Millennials
(adults in their late 20s or 30s) reported feelings of loneliness. And a
whopping 79% of Generation Z-ers (older teens and adults in their early 20s)
reported dealing with loneliness. And just think—this study was done before
COVID. These numbers have undoubtedly climbed since the stay-at-home order.
Loneliness
takes a huge toll on our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Studies
show that chronic loneliness can lead to depression, anxiety, cutting, heart
conditions, substance abuse, and even dementia. People who deal with chronic
loneliness have a harder time recovering after a serious illness or surgery.
Many health experts say that chronic loneliness harms our health about as much
as smoking 15 cigarettes a day—and it’s much more common.
So,
don’t be surprised if you’re wrestling with loneliness, especially during the
COVID pandemic. Did you know that some of the greatest heroes in the Bible
experienced loneliness? Elijah, Job, Esther, Jeremiah, and even King David all
had times when they felt lonely, isolated or abandoned. And please never
forget: Jesus understands your loneliness because he, too, experienced it.
We’re told in Isaiah 53:3 that Jesus was “despised and rejected by men, a man
of sorrows…. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed
him not.” And as Jesus hung on the cross, paying the price for our sin, he felt
ask if every one of his friends had turned his back on him. It even felt as if
God the Father had turned away from him. So, Jesus cried out in Matthew 27:46,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Have
you ever felt that way? Have you ever been lying in your bed all alone and felt
as though even God had left you? There IS hope. And not surprisingly, it can be
found in God’s word. I’d like to share three prescriptions from the Bible for
your loneliness:
Prescription #1: Take
your eyes off yourself and your problems, and focus on Jesus. We read in Hebrews 12:1-3, “Let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…. Let us fix our
eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set
before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful
men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” You have pain in your
life. So did Jesus. You feel rejected. So did Jesus. You’ve experienced
indescribable loss. So did Jesus. And he overcame it all. So will you if you
fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith.
Prescription #2: Repent.
Turn from your sin. You may say, “Hey! Wait a minute! That’s not very encouraging. If
I’m feeling all alone, you’re telling me that one of the remedies is to
repent?” Yes, I am. The honest truth is:
Sometimes we FEEL all alone because our sin has LEFT us all alone. We may be
dealing with loneliness because of our own dumb choices. We’ve burned bridges
with our family and friends. We’ve held onto bitterness and unforgiveness.
We’ve been selfish. As a result, we’re more alone than we should be, and we’re
left feeling lonely. Sin certainly isn’t the only cause of loneliness. But it’s
a common cause that we can’t ignore. Acts 3:19 says, “Repent, then, and turn to
God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from
the Lord.”
Prescription #3: Spend
quality time with God and with other Christians. Jesus said, “Come to me,
all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon
you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-30). Don’t you want that? Don’t you want
rest for your soul? Don’t you want to stop carrying the heavy burden of
loneliness and replace it with a lighter burden? Then spend quality time with
Jesus and with other Christians. Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man of many companions
may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” God
wired into your heart a need for a active relationship with Him and a need for
active relationships with other Christians. So, make fellowship with God and
with other Christians a priority.
Now,
I’ll give you three bonus prescriptions for loneliness that are
scientifically-based and proven to work: Prescription
#4: Get out in nature. Loneliness intensifies when we’re stuck inside four
walls. Prescription #5: Exercise.
Exercise releases endorphins in our brains--God’s natural mood boosters. Prescription #6: Get a pet. I believe
that pets are a wonderfully sweet gift from God. So, if you’re feeling lonely,
I encourage you to get one, or at least spend some time with someone else’s.
Finally,
if you are struggling with loneliness, discouragement or depression, there are
caring counselors available night or day to talk with you and encourage you.
You can find resources at CrisisTextline.org or TheHopeLine.com. I urge you to
reach out to them.
The
reality is …God is always there. And there are Christians ready to be there for
you, too. We ARE all in this together. You are not alone.
Dane Davis is the Pastor
of Impact Christian Church. Please join us for our live outdoor worship service Sundays at 9 a.m. at 17746 George
Blvd.
