LONELINESS

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN LONELY?

Josephat S. Hema

When I'm alone with You Lord

My troubles seem to disappear

And the peace that comforts me

Always comes when You are near

And Your love's too much for my heart to contain

Joy too much that my feet won't refrain........

(Lyrics from the song I DANCE by Lenny LeBlanc)

A simple definition of loneliness is ‘the feeling of lacking companionship’

Companionship is a state of having or being a companion,an association,a fellowship.

This depicts the truth that A human being is a social creature,it can be traced back from the time of creation,when God created the second being to give a lifelong company for the first and vice versa(GENESIS 2;18).

Human was created with a hunger for company and when this hunger grows much can lead to the depressive feeling called solitude.No human being would like to spend all time alone,too much social isolation is unhealthy,but it happens anyway,and,in fact,solitude can happen even in the midst of the crowd,the moment when you notice the whatever difference between yourself and the surrounding mass of people.That feeling of uselessness.

But...do you know that loneliness has much importance than you’ve ever thought?

THE GREATEST BURDEN IS HAVING NOTHING TO CARRY!

People fear solitude much,people fear singleness,some even dare to establish relationships just for the sake of having ‘ company’!

Solitary moments are much important,you only have to figure out the most interesting thing you can do with positive impact in your life,sometimes solitary moments can naturally shape you,but if you are flexible enough!

History says that,Shakespeare,Leornaro da Vinci,Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln never saw a movie,heard a radio or looked at TV.They had been lonely and knew what to do with it.

In fact most of the greatest achievements on earth we enjoy today are the results of some long moments of solitude....

LONELINESS IS ENJOYABLE WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.

Some ongoing study at Havard University show that lonely moments improve accuracy in memory,empathy towards others and mood.

And in fact,people who have good interaction with others are those that could have fought the negativity of loneliness.You can make a good relationship if you can manage enough being alone!

ALONE WITH GOD,A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE!!!!

-“If you refuse to be alone,you are rejecting Christ’s call to you and you can have no part in community of those who are called”

(Dietrich Bonhoefler in the book LIFE TOGETHER)

There is a promise in Mathew 28:20 and Hebrew 13:5

God is never away,He is a God who is near,spending time with God is the most useful way of maximising the effectiveness of your solitary moments.

In one among his famous quotes,pastor Rick Warren ever said this

“Happy moments,PRAISE GOD

Difficult moments,SEEK GOD

Quiet moments,WORSHIP GOD

Painful moments,TRUST GOD

Every moment,THANK GOD”.

With God there is no a wasted moment,there is no a moment of uselessness and the associated feelings,if in every moments you trust Him.

God uses your solitary moments to do many things,He can increase the desire to serve him(calling),He can develop some new good characters in you,He can improve your creativity and He can use the moments to increase your thirsty to seek Him.

If you pass through the Bible you can find ones among the best-spent lonely moments...starting from Jesus himself,Daniel,David and the Apostles(which made THEM EXTRAORDINARY)

Some moments of Loneliness WITH GOD can transform you,you should learn how to disconnect yourself from the crowd for sometimes,that’s is maturity which brings about maturity.Let me show you this level of maturity from Jesus himself,

John 16:32b-33

“...you will leave me all alone.Yet i am not alone,for my father is with me.I have told you these things,so that in me you may have peace.In this World you will have trouble.But take heart!i have overcome the world.(NIV)

Maturity is being able to move against all odds...Jesus could do that(Against the world),He had the confidence that Father,whom He spent with some moments of loneliness, was with Him and would never ever leave Him.

SOME LONELY MOMENTS WITH GOD GIVE ONE THE ASSURANCE OF HIS PRESENCE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

Psalms 27:4-5

“One thing i ask of the Lord,this is what i seek:that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my Life,to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.For in the days of trouble he WILL KEEP ME SAFE in his dwelling;he will hide me in the shelter of his tarbenacle and set me high upon a rock.(NIV)

Be blessed!