Trusting God in loneliness

Loneliness can be a time of being depressed and feeling sorry for oneself or it can be regarded as a gift from the Lord to get closer to him. So much of life is in the attitude we have.

Four years ago, when my husband of 54 years died, I could have drowned in grief and feeling sorry for myself. But the Lord gave us such a precious 10 days in palliative care where I saw so many details of his care for me that I couldn't grieve that much. His presence has been so strong and has encouraged me to carry on.

Evelyn Rodgers

Connecting with others

Loneliness in our culture has become a problem of enormous proportions. According to a 2021 Statistics Canada survey more than one in 10 people report feeling lonely often or all the time. It affects our health, especially mental health and overall well-being.

Reaching out is one of the things we can do that can help us in times of loneliness but in our culture, this does not seem to happen much. People are so independent now, and don’t want to bother others. Or is it an attitude of pride, and “I’ll do this myself if no one calls me”? Why is it so out of place to ask for help or invite someone for a meal or coffee?

We are made for community, and connecting with others requires effort. Instead of sitting at home and waiting for someone else to phone or come over, sometimes we have to be the ones to take the initiative and invite them over or go out for coffee or visit the sick and so on.

There is such a blessing in reaching out. I often find that when I call someone, they are usually so glad I called and are ready for coffee or some other activity. I feel so much better after this, and I’m sure the other person does too. I got a different perspective on my thinking, my life is enriched and blessed, and the fellowship was so good.

Making time for the Lord’s presence

I have always been busy doing something. At a time when I was a mother of five teenagers and a farmer’s wife, plus other responsibilities, there was always something that needed to be done now and it just didn’t seem right to “waste” time.

I knew I needed the Lord's presence in all this but didn't take enough time until I had a problem with my oldest child who was really struggling. I cried out to the Lord many times and he answered by tapping me on my shoulder and telling me to stop everything and have my quiet time. I obeyed, took my Bible and went up the hill behind our house, found a spot in the woods and spent half an hour or so there. Coming back life was better and at the end of the day that time wasn’t wasted or missed.

We are usually so busy we have no time to sit down and think about life. Being alone with the Lord can be such a gift. When we do this, we see life differently. It is in these quiet times God wants to speak to us just as much as we want to talk to him. Are we ready to listen?

Although I’m older now, I am still used to always being busy. The Lord had to remind me again that “it’s okay to sit and do nothing.” As I sit and wait on the Lord, he comes near, and his presence is so delightful. He has promised to be there, and he is. There have been times when his presence was so strong I couldn’t fall asleep for hours.

The ministry of intercession

Have we ever considered that intercession is a ministry and that we who are alone can do this? Prayer and praise are the mightiest weapons in our battle against Satan. Prayer has come to be an exciting part of my day. Sometimes it feels like I’m in a battle and I know who wins. How exciting and blessed I am when I see answers to my prayers. I know the Holy Spirit is at work when I intercede as he gives me a burden.

Trusting God’s promises

God has much to say about loneliness and has so many promises in his Word regarding this. He is so awesome. Here are a few: the Lord knows each detail of our lives and has our names inscribed on the palm of his hands (Isaiah 49:16). He loves us more than we can ever know.

He knows the number of hairs on our head (Luke12:7). If he is that much involved in our lives, we can trust him in all things. “I know the plans I have for you,” he says (Jeremiah 29:11).

What a promise! This should help us look ahead with anticipation to what he has planned for us. The question remains, are we willing to let him guide us or do we always want our own way?

As we come closer to him, his presence will comfort us, and our loneliness disappears too. As we look at life from his perspective, our views change too. We can thank him for the gift of his presence and being alone can help us grow in him.

Being alone can be challenging but, as we look to the Lord, he will help us, and we can “still bear fruit in old age”! (Psalm 92:14). I know if we are not careful, we can fall back, and loneliness can take a hold again. But we must remind ourselves that Jesus is there for us. Nowhere in the Bible are we told to retire at some point. No, we can refire and still have a testimony for the Lord.