Loneliness is something we've all experienced at some point in life.
You've probably heard someone lament, "I don't have any close friends, "I'm an only child, my parents are deceased or I'm a widow," and so on.
Others say, "I don't fit in any social circles—at work, school, church, or family."
Allowing these negative thoughts to linger opens a door for Satan, our enemy, deceiver, opposer, and accuser, to attack your thoughts. He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.
He is skillful at planting self-destructive thoughts, with the following dialogue:
"What a lonely life."
"No one likes you, so something must be wrong with you."
"Who are you?"
"You have no identity."
"You're invisible, non-existent, and insignificant."
If the regenerated soul accepts these lies from the father of lies, Satan, the father of lies, attempts to deceive the regenerated soul into a snare of isolation, low self-esteem, and a poor self-image.
2 Corinthians 10:5 warns us to,
"Cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."
The issues of life can overwhelm us to the point that we feel empty and lonely—but it never has been because Jesus Christ has been with you the entire time.
Our heavenly father, God, doesn't abandon us because He promised never to leave us and will remain until the end of the age.
"And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8
When loneliness cause feelings of discouragement, begin to ponder these promises of God:
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:20
But, what should you do if you pray, meditate on scriptures, yet still struggle with discouragement due to loneliness?
Following the salvation experience, an individual undergoes a mind transformation that dispels the negative, tormenting thoughts from the dark side, but Christians are still not perfect.
Our human frailties makes us susceptible to the stressors of life and we may fail to cast down negative thoughts. But, there's hope and away out of this bondage.We should daily yield our thoughts over to God and when the wrong thoughts creep in, we can repel them with these scriptures:
Romans 12:2 states,
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5:17
Once we realize that, though we are physically alone, we're still not alone because God promised this:
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10
Prayer: Dear Father God, help us remember that our perceived loneliness allows us to connect more intimately with you. You are mighty, and promised never to leave us or forsake us. And, we now realize that you alone can fill the void in our lonely hearts with much contentment, joy, and peace amid our sufferings.