Today I want to tackle something so many deal with... something I don't like to even admit about myself...but it is true nonetheless.
I am sometimes lonely....and I hate it!
Yes I have friends and family and commitments and a job and all that stuff yet still at times I find myself feeling very isolated and distant from those things...feeling very lonely. I need someone to "get" me at the particular place I am in.....I know we all feel this at times.
Am I thankful for these times...for these feelings? ....not usually....mostly I feel as if I deserve to Not be lonely. Why is that? Why do I feel as if I shouldn't experience loneliness?...We know that Jesus felt alone at times...He even asked His Father why He had forsaken Him...now that is loneliness and abandonment!...and who says I shouldn't share in His sufferings....as a matter of fact...isn't it an honor and a privilege to share in His sufferings, even a reasonable part of the package?
Yes!...scripture says so ....OK...that helps....now I think I can be thankful for loneliness...at least I know that I am experiencing something that Jesus experienced...at least I know that a payoff is promised..."sharing in His glory" whatever that means ....and perhaps in time I will learn to be thankful in that experience as well.
In some ways I guess we as believers will always feel somewhat alone this side of heaven, even while sharing our lives with other believers....maybe He wants it that way so we never get too comfortable in this temporary home. Thank you, Lord for periods of loneliness...teach me about You in those times.
Roms. 8:8: Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
4 comments:
Hmmm....as far as loneliness, I'm reminded of C.S. Lewis - in The Great Divorce - describing hell as complete loneliness - being thousands of miles away from anyone else. ...God created us to be relational. So the loneliness - while perhaps He can teach us things - I'm unsure as to whether it's truly in His plan for us. Point to ponder. And...you hit the nail right on the head when you said this assignment has potential to get really personal! ....I've been avoiding it for just that reason. ;)
It is good to put life in perspective and filter it through the 'lens' of God ... but oh, what a hard lesson at times. Seems the Lord has your attention in this difficult topic.
The topic prompt for this month is something that stirs up something deep within our hearts, because if we are going to be honest, there is always something painful inside us that we need to address and be thankful for. It is just a human tendency to shove pain and fear under the rug, but "when push comes to shove" we have to admit it's there. I can very well relate to what you have shared here, esp since Ernie passed away six years ago, and even more recently, since I started living alone when my second son and his wife and son moved out of my home in July this year. Loneliness is something I would rather not admit, and so I cover up by being busy. And as you shared, sometimes it works. But when I come face to face with my own heart, I come before my Abba and lift up my lonely heart to him. Thank you for sharing so honestly, Cheryl. I often wish we Scarf Sisters were more connected to one another through our blogs, instead of just FB... there is so much more that we can share in depth through our blogs. After all, this is how I came to meet all of you! Let's claim and redeem this part of cyberspace for Jesus! Love, Lidia
Yes, Lidg, we are more deeply connected when we blog...hard as it is to do...
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