It’s a feeling. And lonesome can be quite a difficult intruder. Interestingly, feelings of loneliness are not necessarily coincidental to being physically alone. Many people surrounded by family or peers or coworkers experience heartache due to lonely feelings.
The lie that I am all alone and the lie that no one sees or hears you are common deceptions of the enemy- Satan. Unfortunately you and I both have fallen for his tricks far too often. Let’s take a truth break.
The truth of God’s word is that we are never alone. (Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy31:6,8)
In fact, His word says that He goes before us and makes a way for us. He will not fail and He won’t abandon us. (John 14:5-7)
I want to assure you, as I seek assurance myself, that your feelings of loneliness are valid. Please know your lonesome heart is known. Perhaps no one in your social circles even suspects that you are walking a lonesome path within, but God knows.
In fact one of God’s names is El Roi, which means ‘the God who sees me’. God indeed sees you and hears you. He is with you in the lonely place. Psalm 139 is one of my favorite reminders of this truth.
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”
Psalms 139:1-6 NIV
Throughout my pondering on the one-word lonesome my thoughts continually circled back to Jesus.
- He grew up in a family, but Joseph wasn’t His biological father.
- He didn’t own a home or land.
- He was often surrounded by crowds of people and lived with 12 disciples yet no one really knew Him.
- He traveled from town to town during three years of ministry dining and sleeping where he found hospitality.
- Jesus was reviled by religious leaders and sought out by others who wanted a miracle.
- He taught by word and example, but many times it must have seemed that no one was listening.
- Jesus came to save lives, but was malled and killed in the success of His mission.
It’s now dawned on me that Jesus, in possibly His loneliest times on earth, sought out secluded places to meet alone with His Father. And there’s our answer. If Jesus embraced the lonely places as a place to meet with His Father then so shall I.
How about you?
We know it’s healthy to acknowledge our true feelings. It’s also wise to usher them out the door by taking every thought captive. And how do we take every thought captive? We first turn our eyes to Jesus. We seek Him in the lonesome places.
We can simply say His name.
Jesus.
Call to Him and He will answer you.
Call out to Jesus. For you are not alone when you feel lonesome.
Eyes on Jesus and Shine,
~Lisa
