Now that humanity has access to the blessings of Zoom, FaceTime, email, and ubiquitous cell phones, it would seem that loneliness should have been eradicated from the globe—or at least all parts of it that have reliable Internet connections. However, it seems that no one is exempt from the sadness of feeling alone.
Loneliness is the fruit of lives that are scheduled to the point of strangulation. Add to that the effects of social media, tricking us into believing we’re connecting with “our people,” when we affirm their vacation photos with a click or comment on the video of their new puppy. We know more about our Instagram friends than we do about our next-door neighbors, and we often find ourselves weighed down by comparison and competition with their seemingly perfect images.
If we allow it to, the feeling of loneliness can serve as a bellwether, an indicator that something is missing. Our longing to know and be known by others is an invitation to pay attention to that feeling and to find our ultimate fulfillment in the God who created us and knows us by name.
In his days here on this broken ground, Jesus offered the pathway of finding one’s life by losing it, but when I believe the lie that finding my life is all about me and getting my needs met, I become a very small package indeed. Cramped and restless, my self-seeking leads only to more loneliness and an endless pursuit of serial wantings.
“The good news is God wants to include, connect, and invite us to himself and one another all at the same time.” ~Sue Donaldson @welcomeheart #neveralone
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Sue Moore Donaldson has experienced loneliness herself and comes to her readers with practical and theologically tethered words of advice. Her skillful storytelling gets to the heart of biblical narratives so that the Old Testament story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath becomes a tale of a hospitality challenge well-managed. The New Testament account of Philip and the man from Ethiopia becomes a primer for developing and asking good questions.
By sharing both humorous and melancholy stories from her own life, Donaldson urges her readers to embark upon an adventure that views loneliness as an opportunity to invite others to the table, with full assurance that God is always on the guest list. In an era defined by loneliness, we need to be reminded that we’re Never Alone.
The truth singing its way through Sue’s heartwarming stories is that God is present with us even when all we sense is absence and longing, that individuals find fulfillment through intimacy with Christ, and we will know our oneness with Him most fully when we do life together with other believers. Participation in a local church has a way of banishing us from the center of the universe while we come to grips with the truth that the loneliness we experience is a signpost, pointing our hearts toward another world.
Holding You in the Light,
Participation in a local church has a way of banishing us from the center of the universe while we come to grips with the truth that the loneliness we experience is a signpost, pointing our hearts toward another world.
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