At our last camp I had the awesome privilege to have a girls only session. It was a lot of fun and lasted more hours than we could have imagined. I shared a story about my life and talked about how God chooses us each individually to be his one. He is so cool that way. After the quick “lesson” we went into a question and answer session. The girls had a whole day to turn in questions under their counselors pillows. It could be a question about anything. Let me just say that after doing youth ministry for 10 years the questions still blew me away. I am not sure why. I have heard them before. At one time they were even my own questions held in the deepest pocket of my heart.
That night proved to not have enough hours to answer our questions. Because of that I have decided to answer, or try to answer, some more on here. I will be missing my panel of counselors so if you would like to chime in please do so in a comment. I would love it.
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Question.
(Written on a crumpled piece of notebook paper and folded many times)
How do you not be alone or lonely?
(Can you feel the emotion in her sweet words?)
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Thoughts.
Loneliness is worldwide. I really do not think there is a person that does not feel the pangs of loneliness. It seems that as women, young and old”er”, we are sent on a search to find the ultimate filling to our deep well. I think this search is the ultimate romantic gesture from a lover God to his bride. Stay with me.
The feeling that loneliness leaves on us shows that we have a desperate need for another. For one particular other. The need is so great. We would almost do anything to quench this feeling. If you are like me then you search your world high and low leaving no rock unturned. You find things that seem to ease the moments but in the end they are meaningless. We were never meant to be alone. never. Our soul was created with a longing for relationship. The best way I can describe loneliness to another is being lovesick. Hear the voice of God wooing you to himself. God does not make us lonely. It is just what we are away from him. He is the only true filling. We may find relief in friends, parents, boyfriends/husbands, although this is good relief it will not quench.
Read and really hear the words of the Psalmist.
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Psalm 42.
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. 5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and
6 my God. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. 8 By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me– a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” 10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
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His words are literally striking to me. You can hear his actual longing for his other. You can hear his loneliness and his fear of simply being left alone. He cannot turn away because he knows the love of his God. It is a love that leaves him panting and stirs the thirst of his soul.
I can vividly remember the long nights after a terrible high school break up. Just take a moment and humor me here. Envision the high school me (insert VERY big hair ) sitting on my daybed. I have one hand on my phone and the other hand is holding a wad of snotted up toilet paper. I have been crying on and off for hours all the while listening to sunny 99.1 call in requests. My young heart is thirsting even panting to hear the voice of my former other. The phone sits in hand just in case it would happen to ring. It doesn’t. Alone and lonely I sit. I sit for hours on end.
These exact emotions are what sent me into a journey that I am still riding to this day. It all started with a teal bible and a random girls devotional book I picked up. There was no magic in the devotions I read. There was just an overwhelming desire to quench the thirst and know true love. In the weakest moments of my life my Lover God sat next to me wiped the tears from my cheeks and wooed me away with him. He still does this today. There is no greater romance.
I promise.
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Answer.
I am pretty certain we will all experience the emotions of loneliness or the fear of being alone. I am also certain someone will be sitting next to you. He will be waiting for you to try Him. With love in his eyes he will dare your lonely heart to abandon all your fear and search him. Journey with him and you will not be alone. ever.
- Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
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- Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
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