Loneliness

About a year and a half ago, my wife and her mom went to Greece and Turkey for ten days on a cruise. I stayed at home with the kids so I was never actually alone but I'll tell you what--from the moment she stepped on the plane until I picked her up I was lonely. What a horrible, helpless feeling it was too. For the next week and a half, I could have been in a room filled with people but I felt all alone. I couldn't imagine going through life with that feeling.

You may be wondering what this has to do with you? Sure, people do go through life feeling like they are by themselves. Whether intentionally or by circumstance, men and women around the world are lonely. Perhaps they have recently gone through a separation or lost their spouse to death. Perhaps circumstances in their lives have caused their family to disown them. They are left with no one to comfort them or to show them love. You have family and friends, though. How is this blog applicable to you?

I would say the first reason I'm bringing up the subject of loneliness is to raise awareness of those who may be hurting around you. If we are all parts of the Body of Christ, we need to take care of those brothers and sisters who are around us. It's one reason we should always treat everyone with love and concern. We should always allow Christ to shine through us so that those people who may be lonely can feel his love. Our kindness may be the only compassion they are shown all day. Don't rely on someone else to be kind.

The second part, and something that may have a bigger impact on you--especially if you don't think you should show love and compassion to those who are lonely around you. I believe Hell is a very lonely place. I know we have images of flames and the devil with a pitchfork. What Hell is, at it's very basic though, is simply an absence of God. That is the answer to your question, "If God is ever loving, how can he send people to Hell." Well, the answer is that he doesn't send people to Hell. He would prefer that everyone be with him in Heaven. But people chose a life apart from God by sinning and doing things their own way. God only gives people their wish. If they wish to be apart from God then He will allow it, for all of eternity. So God only gives us what we want. If we want to spend eternity away from them, then He will allow it. It's just going to be very lonely.

For those who are suffering loneliness, please realize that we are never really alone. God is always with us and always cares for us and always loves us. I realize that it may be easy for a guy with a wife and kids to say that you shouldn't be lonely because God is with us. But, it's true. God is always with us and is never away from us. Heck, he may even be using your lonliness to bring you closer to him.