Alone

Alone is a word that can be scary to many people.  You might be a mom to some little ones who would give almost anything for a moment to be alone or you might be an introvert who is seeking a place away from the noise to be alone and collect your thoughts, but have you ever really felt alone, separated or isolated?

Loneliness is a spreading epidemic in our society.  You wouldn’t think that, with access to the world at the touch of our fingertips through the internet, but somehow the statistics on people feeling lonely continue to grow.  The results of this can be devastating if they aren’t addressed.  Being alone too long can lead to over-thinking and chasing “what-ifs” in your mind leading to depression or even thoughts of suicide.

God recognized that it wasn’t good for man to be alone shortly after creating Adam, which led to Eve coming onto the scene.  How very kind of God to see that we need fellowship and help, here in the flesh.  As a matter of fact, he charges us to take care of one another. 

Social media is a conundrum.  In many cases, it has reignited old friendships and allowed new friendships to form between people who have met online through mutual friends and common interests.  Lots of times, these friendships are genuine and wouldn’t have developed if not for this medium.  On the other hand, some folks get so involved in their internet “relationships”, that they fail to nurture the ones right beside them.  It can be perplexing to look around a restaurant and see how many people are sitting across from one another, but both are looking down at their phones.  Having this constant source of communication should make us feel more connected, but the question is can you still connect to the person sitting across from you? Do you want to?

Our computers and phones may give us something to do to keep our hands busy, but they can’t give hugs, words of encouragement or love.  The greatest of these is love.  We all need it. 

Look around in between checking on your friends on Facebook and Twitter.  Make eye contact and smile.  Let the people around you know that you care about them and that you appreciate the people that support you whether online or in person.

Here’s the best part:  YOU ARE NEVER ALONE.  God is our portion when you are surrounded, and He is our portion when we are by ourselves, but He never leaves.  Invest in relationships.  Find some folks that will be your accountability partners or prayer warriors or sounding boards.  You might find these folks online, you might find them in your own home, or at church, or at work, or anywhere else. God’s pretty awesome at putting people in each other’s paths that will affect their lives in a positive way if they just choose to take that first step.

 Go for it!

Passages to Ponder:

Genesis 2:18- Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

Psalm 142:5- Then I pray to you, O Lord.  I say, “You are my place of refuge.  You are all I really want in life.”

Galatians 6:2- Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Contributors:  Karen Bromby, Kathy Derda, Kim McClure and Kristy Tolley