I believe one of the biggest mistakes a person can make is to try to solve a spiritual problem without the tools and wisdom brought to bear from a spiritual solution. If we try to problem solve without God’s spiritual guidance and instruction, the result is going to be a spiral that cycles in the opposite direction of where He wants to take us. We are spiritual beings created in the image of our Creator. 1John 4:8 tells us that God is love. Therefore, you and I have no other choice but to conclude that love is the very essence of our being. It’s the core of who we are, and we should never ignore or reject this truth. Our goal for being on this planet is to learn from the Master how to live in such a way that we don’t unconsciously conspire against our greater good. Instead, we should aspire to pull his love and all its bountiful resources towards us.
Many were already finding it challenging to navigate what some have called an epidemic of loneliness. This has been exacerbated by the restrictions of this pandemic. Some individuals might feel as though their options of finding a meaningful connection with someone are even more limited. This doesn’t have to be the case. The overwhelmingly rich reality of Jesus Christ is found in the hope he brings, and this hope is such a game changer that we are going to have to elevate our thoughts and attitudes to accommodate it.
We sometimes hesitate to get our hopes up because in the past we’ve been disappointed more than we’d like. It is easier to expect the worse in a situation, and then when things don’t pan out, we won’t have such a letdown, but this isn’t an approach that will work towards a person’s spiritual well-being. The psalmist, David, prayed to the Lord and said in Psalm 119:116(NLT), “Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.” This lets us know that even thousands of years ago, people felt the sting of disappointment. They trusted God’s promises to the point of boasting to others that they served a God who could not fail. They had great expectations not in their own strength; they had great expectations because they trusted God’s power, love, and grace to rescue them.
Psalm 119:116 also lets us see the human side of David, the writer of many psalms and king of God’s people who were living in Old Testament times. We see the “what if” he was grappling with. And like David, most of us who cast all our hope in God also second guess whether we’re good enough to deserve His blessings. David didn’t want to experience the shame that often comes when you boast or think you’ve got something in the bag, and the thing just falls apart in the end. When we place our hope in Christ, this will not happen. Romans 5:5 says that this kind of hope does not disappoint, because God’s timing is absolutely perfect.
Hope in Jesus Christ is good medicine. If we’ll trust him with our whole hearts and be patient, he’ll take the burden caused by feelings of isolation, worry, and powerlessness. He’ll exchange them for the fruit that comes when we’re fully persuaded in God’s love for us, because He loves us regardless of our weaknesses and imperfections. The truth of our reality is that we’re never alone. God is always with us. Hebrews 13:5b(NLT) tells us, “For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Do you have faith in this truth from God’s Word? Because if you don’t, committing to the practices that build your relationship with God are the most important things you can do for your life.
Heavenly Father desires a relationship with each of us. Prayer and studying God’s Word will bring us closer to Him, and more than ever before, a lack of time cannot be an excuse. Jesus Christ said in Revelation 3:20(NLT), “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” Our Lord and Savior desires to be a friend to us. He knows us through and through, and only he can teach us how to love ourselves in the deepest parts of our hearts. Many people are desperate to find the love of their lives, and yet they’ve never learned to love themselves with the love of Christ. There’s work on the inside of us that only he can do, and if we’ll give him a chance, we’ll do more than learn to cope with loneliness; we’ll prevent it from robbing us ever again.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Coping During an Epidemic of Loneliness” written for Crazynlove.com ©2020. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!