Loneliness & Grief

Loneliness can be one of the most difficult parts of grief.  Loneliness is typically related to feeling that others in our life are not present in some way to understand or care for us.  It often indicates that we are not practicing awareness of the presence of God.  But even when we do know He's there, it can still be difficult.

During times of extreme loneliness, I have sometimes been aware that God was present with me, but it didn't immediately change my feelings.  The purpose of recognizing God's presence in our loneliness is to choose faith over fear.  We fear that we are truly alone.  We fear that no one will understand us or our situation.  We fear that we will not see the end of our loneliness.  But ultimately, fear is not from God, faith is.  Faith is the certainty that the truth we know is the truth we will feel.  It may not be here yet, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30).  I heard a worship leader say once "morning isn't what has an AM next to it, it's what happens when you wake up!"  I could go with that.  We must hold on to God's promise that something better will come because hopelessness is a formidable enemy.

This past Sunday's sermon was based on Romans 5 where Paul explains that our endurance in life eventually leads to hope and that hope does not disappoint.  However, hopelessness will disappoint.  The hope Paul is talking about is a specific hope, a hope in "the glory of God," through Jesus Christ.  And it is God who provides the hope by the pouring out of His love through the Holy Spirit (verse 5).  It is the gospel.  That's why the antidote for our loneliness isn't in other people but rather in our God. 

Sometimes people are going to leave us hanging and they won't understand.  But our trust is not ultimately in them.  Our trust is in the Lord.  He is the reason for our hope and the reason we can rise above the desperate loneliness of our grief.  In fact, Paul says in verse 3 that we should "rejoice in our sufferings."  That makes me think "Really, God?  Are you serious?!"  God never promised an easy road, nor did he call us to one.  But He has provided His presence and His hope through the Holy Spirit.  Seek that in the midst of loneliness, and you will find that hopelessness has no place. 

Till next time,

Jeremy