The Bible tells us that God created humankind in His image, and in doing so, He created us for relationship (Genesis 1:27). He Himself exists eternally in relationship—God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As beings created in His image, we naturally seek relationship, friendship, and community.
God didn’t intend for people to face life alone or to live in isolation from others; His intent was that people would live, love, and share their lives with others (Hebrews 10:24–25). Sadly, however, the great fragmentation of family life and communities that has taken place in contemporary culture has created what has been referred to as an “epidemic of loneliness.”
In today’s world, self-sufficiency and independence are elevated and considered virtues. Popular messaging in media, social media and advertising tells us that individuals should look out for themselves first and foremost and seek self-fulfillment.
Yet we see that loneliness and isolation are some of the great ills of our time. Social isolation and loneliness are a greater risk to human flourishing than in previous periods of history where greater interdependence existed, and community life was the fabric of society. However, Christianity teaches us a better way.
When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are adopted into God’s family as children of God for eternity (Ephesians 2:19–22). God is our Father and Jesus has called us His friends (John 15:15). We belong to His church, the body of believers (Romans 12:5). These inalterable truths are ours as Christians—even if we find ourselves struggling with loneliness and isolation for a season. Our hope is not in this world, but in heaven, where we will be part of the most amazing community imaginable (Hebrews 12:22–24)!
We may experience sadness and despair when we feel alone in the world and that no one cares for us personally or would be there for us in our time of need. David in the Bible experienced a deep sense of loneliness at times and cried out to God in his despair, saying: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted” (Psalm 25:16). Later in the psalms, he proclaims: “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home” (Psalm 68:5–6).
God wants us to be in relationship with other people, which is how He designed us as human beings. Jesus taught how important it is to love our neighbors, but the first place in our hearts and lives must be reserved for Him (Mark 12:28–31). Only Jesus can satisfy our soul and will never leave nor forsake us, and nothing will ever separate us from His love (Romans 8:38–39).
There are times when the Lord allows us to experience loneliness for a season, and He empathizes with us during those times (Hebrews 4:15). Sometimes God allows us to feel lonesome to deepen our relationship with Him and help us to focus on our eternal future with Him. We are reminded that, as the old gospel song expresses, “This world is not my home, I’m just passing through.”
A story to this effect is told of the Christian songwriter, George Matheson (1842–1906). He was deeply in love and soon to be married when his doctor broke the news that he was losing his sight and would be blind within six months. George was heartbroken, but he didn’t think it fair to his fiancée to not tell her the truth and give her the choice whether to go ahead with the marriage.
When he told her the news that he would be blind by their wedding date, he felt her hand quiver and loosen its grasp. She burst into tears and said, “I’m so sorry, George, but I can’t marry you!” Crushed and heartsick, his whole world falling apart, he walked despondently home, and thought about how the only thing that he had left in the world was Jesus. Then he took a piece of paper and his old quill pen and wrote a hymn that has been a comfort to millions:
O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee.
I give thee back the life I owe,
that in thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fuller be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee.
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain,
that morn shall tearless be.
The wonderful thing about being a Christian is that you will never be completely alone—no matter what you face in this world—because you will always have Jesus. Even when everything else has passed away, you will still have Jesus. When others forsake you or loved ones depart from this life, Jesus will be with you. He promised, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20 KJV). When it seems like there is nothing left for you in this world, you will still have Jesus—and He is enough.
Another reason why the Lord allows Christians to experience loneliness at times is so that they will reach out to other people with His love and comfort. There are so many people in need of God’s love, as we once were before we were adopted into God’s family. You can step out by faith and speak with someone today about Jesus and help them to find eternal joy—not just friendship and companionship, but the love of God that will satisfy their deepest need forever (1 John 4:8). As you show outgoing love and concern for others and “love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14), you will find peace and joy and fulfillment in your own life.
So, if you are going through a season of loneliness in life, you can look for ways to reach out to other people in need. Volunteer at the local shelter, hospital, school, or wherever there is a need. Reach out to a neighbor who is housebound or experiencing hard times, tutor a young person, or help a new immigrant to learn the local language. God has promised that as you reach out to give and share with others, He will pour back into your life. “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap” (Luke 6:38 NLT).
Every Christian is presented throughout life with many opportunities to bless others. And when we do so, the amazing thing is that the Lord never fails to give back. You can’t outgive God!
When we are experiencing a season of loneliness, as Christians, we know that Jesus alone can satisfy the deepest yearning of our hearts for love, friendship, and community. He is the only one who can truly satisfy that emptiness and loneliness we all experience at certain times in our lives. When we remind ourselves of the beautiful promises in His Word regarding all that awaits us in the next life in heaven, this helps us to remember that the trials and challenges of this present life are not worth comparing to the glory that has been promised to us in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:18).