When You're Feeling Alone

Have you ever felt lonely? 

Yeah, me too.

Feelings of loneliness is something I deal with frequently. I have family and friends. I’m not lonely in the sense that there are people around. But I can still feel alone. A deep longing in my soul for a deep connection.

Maybe you feel the same. 

We’ve heard it said that God is always with us. That we’re never really alone. But maybe, like me, you feel that is somewhat of a cliche; somewhat of a pat answer.

But it is true. God is ever-precent. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. So why do we feel this is cliche? Why do we feel alone? Where is the connection?

I know I’ve said before that my dream has always been to be a wife and mom. To have a family. I sometimes find myself thinking that if I had this, I wouldn’t feel lonely anymore. All would be perfect. But that’s not true. And it’s not fair, or healthy, to put those kinds of expectations on my future husband and kids. If I still feel lonely despite all the amazing people in my life, then having more people in my life won’t make a difference, no matter how amazing they are. 

Yes, I have a wonderful family. Yes, I have great friends. But I still have that longing for more because there is something more. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, “But whoever is united and joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (AMP) There is a connection of limitless depth, of unfailing love, of Divine fellowship.
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I think part of why we do not sense God is with us is because we do not really know what that means. When another human is near, I can physically see, hear, even feel their presence. But God is invisible. He is Spirit. He speaks to our spirit, not to our ears. How do we see, hear, and feel His presence? How do we make this connection?

A verse I have been going to lately that speaks of God being with us is Zephaniah 3:17:

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (NIV)

To gain more understanding of this verse, I looked at it in a couple other versions:

“The Lord your God is in your midst, A Warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with joy; He will be quiet in His love [making no mention of your past sins], He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” (AMP)

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” (NLT)

This verse begins with that promise, that truth that God is with us. That He is living in our very midst. We are not alone. Not ever.

But there are things in this world, circumstances and distractions and lies, that leave us feeling as if we are all alone.

During struggles and trials, we can feel very alone. Shame. Depression. Worry. Stress. Fear. We are swallowed up in darkness and can see no companion. No help. Yet, we are promised that our God is a Warrior who is mighty to save. He comes to us in the darkness and gives light that brings freedom. 

The times when I feel most lonely are when I feel unknown or misunderstood. We all want someone who just gets us. So what a blessing it is that God knows us. And not only that, He delights in us. And in knowing Him, we find delight in Him.  

The next part of the verse has rich meaning and promise: God loves us. God loves you. That love brings peace, for we know it is unfailing and keeps no record of our sins. Fears of rejection or disappointing others can leave us feeling lonely, because we do not let ourselves be fully known. But we can be totally vulnerable and open with the Lover of our souls, and know He will continue to love.

We are never alone. God is always present. But do we enter into His presence? Do we take the time to listen for His songs of rejoicing? Like any relationship, to strengthen and deepen it, time must be put into it. And having these promises from Zephaniah 3:17 makes me want to deepen my relationship with Jesus. I want to hear God’s joyful singing.

God is present. So how do we enter into His presence?

Daily spending time with God - learning of Him and learning from Him - helps us walk in step with His Spirit. And it is when we are living by God’s Spirit that we are living in His presence. We spend time with God through prayer, through His Word, and through praise.

To be with God, that it is the longing of our soul, and it is the delight of our hearts.

So next time you feel lonely, don’t think of it as meaning you are actually alone. Instead, listen for God’s singing, for His beckoning and calling you to His presence, to a deeper connection with Him. 

The post When You're Feeling Alone first appeared on The Overflowing
Photo from Unsplash, edited by Jessica Faith