Midweek Encouragement - "Loneliness Doesn’t Have to Be"

"Loneliness Doesn’t Have to Be”

  ^{Forgive me if it seems like I’m harping on this subject, but ever since the COVID pandemic of 2020, we Americans are lonelier than ever. I’ll go so far to say that we’re lonelier than we realize. And a lot of people don’t appreciate how much of their spiritual and emotional well-being has been disrupted by loneliness.}

^{Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General’s office said that we’re spending more and more time alone. Our American culture itself is fostering an individualism that encourages us to keep living this way. If you think this is an essay bashing social media, don’t. Certainly, anything that’s not controlled can adversely affect our well-being, whether it’s being overly immersed in Instagram or in chocolate syrup. So, read on . . .}

^{God believes that to belong is to be connected, known, and loved. As Christians, our union with Christ means that we can enjoy supernatural unity with one another and with the Trinity even if everything in our culture challenges that fellowship. A lonely life creates burdens we were never made to carry. More than ever, we need each other inside the church and out.}

^{If the antidote to loneliness is being connected, how do we do it? Obviously, online shopping and self-checkouts at the grocery store will not soon go away, so it’s time to choose the opposite. Loneliness is a pain that drives us into the shadows. It’s become ingrained into our daily lives, but it doesn’t have to. You don’t have to cave to a false sense of connection.}

^{I confess that I’m as guilty as the next person when it comes to hyper independence, that need to be able to take care of all things all the time by myself. Wouldn’t you say that some degree of loneliness is necessary though? Aren’t there times when we all need time alone? You bet! Even Jesus got up early and went out to a solitary place to be alone with His Father. But when we realize that the feeling is out of our control, we’ve got to bring it back to a better balance between the need to be alone versus being lonely.}

^{Confronting loneliness begins when we pause to reflect on the decisions we’re making on a daily or weekly basis that make us feel disconnected and isolated. When we recognize that we’re okay with always being alone, we need to find ways to step outside of that. Finding someone to talk to and making a more conscious effort to reach out to others is a great place to start.}

^{Realizing that loneliness is a very common thing also helps us choose to limit it. Asking ourselves if there are any connections or relationships that we want to tap back into before it’s too late is good too. Let’s realize that everyone we see, everyone we pass in life, has a very rich inner life that we’ll never really know. In a bigger way, we all have a connection with all other people, but we just never see it because our touches with each other are so fleeting and temporary. Even if a person might just be in the background of your story, they have a whole rich life outside of that brief moment in yours.}

^{It’s easy to get caught in our own bubbles and our own little lives and move through life wearing blinders. Instead, let’s be intentional in really seeing others. The ripple effect or impact we can have on others when we’re just being kind to those we’re passing on the street might make a huge difference in their attitudes and actions. A simple hello or a smile could change the course of their day and turn their worlds upside down. Loneliness doesn’t have to be a pandemic if we all choose to connect!}

^{I’d love to hear how YOU’RE connecting with others. Tell me how your smile or your small act of kindness turned someone’s loneliness into connection again!}

^

^{Pastor Dale}

Pastor Dale (PD) and Pamela his wife are honored to serve the Mt. Laurel Church of God. If this Mid-Week Encouragement has helped you, perhaps it may encourage someone else. Feel free to share this message with anyone you choose. And if you'd like to receive PD's Mid-Week Encouragement, just send an email to (kingdomguy@gmail.com) and I'll accommodate your request.