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Glory · Who We Are
Loneliness is not a failure of faith; it is a real and human ache, felt by the psalmist and even by Jesus. We were made for relationship with God and with one another, so isolation stings by design. God has not left you alone: He promises to be near, He gave His Son to be with us and His Spirit to indwell us, and He gathers His people as a family. Loneliness is real, but it is not the final word.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/why-do-i-still-feel-lonely · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
Psalms 42:1-11
As you read: My soul thirsts for God; my tears have been my food day and night.
1As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God.
2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
3My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”
4These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, how I used to go with the crowd, and led them to God’s house, with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day.
5Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.
6My God, my soul is in despair within me. Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar.
7Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls. All your waves and your billows have swept over me.
8Yahweh will command his loving kindness in the daytime. In the night his song shall be with me: a prayer to the God of my life.
9I will ask God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10As with a sword in my bones, my adversaries reproach me, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”
11Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God.
Isaiah 43:1-7
As you read: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; you are mine.
1But now thus says Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.
2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.
3For I am Yahweh your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4Since you have been precious and honored in my sight, and I have loved you; therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.
5Don’t be afraid; for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west.
6I will tell the north, ‘Give them up!’ and tell the south, ‘Don’t hold them back! Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.’”
John 14:1-18
As you read: Jesus promises to be with us and to send the Spirit so we are never left alone.
1“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.
2In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.
3If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.
4Where I go, you know, and you know the way.”
5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
7If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you know him, and have seen him.”
8Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.
11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father.
13Whatever you will ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.
15If you love me, keep my commandments.
16I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever,—
17the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.
18I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.
Matthew 11:25-30
As you read: Come, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
25At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
26Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.
27All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.
28“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The psalmist knows it: 'My tears have been my food day and night,' and 'Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning?' The prophet Elijah felt utterly alone: 'I, even I only, am left.' Even Jesus, in His most human hour, cried out in desolation and said to His disciples, 'you will leave me alone,' and yet, 'I am not alone, because the Father is with me.' Feeling lonely is part of living as a person in a fallen world; it does not mean God has abandoned you or that your faith is weak.
“My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?””Psalm 42:3
“I will ask God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?””Psalm 42:9
“He said, “I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.””1 Kings 19:10
“Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”John 16:32
The ache is built into us because we were made for communion. In the garden God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone,' and Ecclesiastes observes that 'two are better than one,' for if one falls, 'the one will lift up his fellow' and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. We were made in the image of a relational God, made for Him and for one another, so a life cut off from intimacy runs against the grain of our design. The loneliness is the echo of that design, not a mistake.
“Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.””Genesis 2:18
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.”Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
“If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”Ecclesiastes 4:12
“God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.”Genesis 1:27
Over and over, Scripture meets loneliness with presence. God says, 'When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.' He is 'near to those who have a broken heart,' and He says, 'I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.' When you feel alone, you are not actually alone: the Father has promised His nearness to His children, and He has never once broken that promise.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.”Isaiah 43:2
“Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.”Psalm 34:18
“Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.””Hebrews 13:5
“teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”Matthew 28:20
God's answer to our aloneness is ultimate: He came to be with us. Jesus said, 'I am with you always, even to the end of the age,' and He promised, 'I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.' He asked the Father to give us 'another Counselor... that he may be with you forever,' the Spirit who lives in us. And He said that He and the Father 'will come to him, and make our home with him.' The God of the universe has made His home with the lonely believer.
“teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”Matthew 28:20
“I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.”John 14:18
“I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever,— the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.”John 14:16-17
“Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.”John 14:23
God intended to meet our loneliness through His people as well as His own presence. The church from the beginning 'continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship,' breaking bread together with gladness, so that 'the Lord added to the assembly day by day.' We are to 'bear one another's burdens,' 'weep with those who weep,' and not forsake 'assembling together.' When loneliness presses in, God's remedy is both a Person to trust and a people to join, and He invites you into both.
“They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer. Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together, and had all things in common. They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.”Acts 2:42-47
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”Galatians 6:2
“Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.”Romans 12:15
“Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.”Hebrews 10:24-25