The Void of Loneliness by Robin Densmore Fuson

 

Are you lonely? Been lonely? Isolated?

There are many reasons for being lonely, even in the middle of a crowd. God created us for companionship. In the Garden of Eden, the Lord said it’s not good for man to be alone and He made a helper for him—woman. (Genesis 2:18, 21-23)

Jesus Christ had three close friends, Peter, James, and John. He had other friends and together they made up the twelve disciples.

Friends, spouses, children, parents, and neighbors are all important to our well-being. 

When we are without that close relationship, our souls hurt. Twelve years ago, I lost my first husband, David and I knew loneliness. My family lived near but I didn’t have that one person. There gaped a huge void.

Two long years later, God filled that void for me when he brought Jimmy to be my husband. My heart healed.

In 2018, Jimmy and I moved from Colorado to Tennessee. In the middle of the pandemic in 2020, we made another move to Florida. Crazy right?

The move from Colorado hurt my soul. My best friends lived there. I was only four hours from my parents. The activities that enriched my life were there. Loneliness gripped my heart.

My husband, Jimmy, did his best to ease my sore heart. He was terrific. My son and his wonderful family lived in Tennessee and I loved on them. I met new friends but I still missed those special loved ones in Colorado.

I desired my Colorado comrades.

When we moved to Florida, we were alone. For all of us, churches were closed. Masks were the norm. People were scarce. Even strangers kept their distance.

We knew no one in our part of Florida.

Isolation.

Isolation is terrible. You crave the smiles of strangers but they are hidden. You desire the hug of a friend. I was lucky—I had my husband and my dog, Kenzi.

God’s word became more important. I focused on the Psalms. Those comforting words got me through.

Back in Tennessee, I began a journey of listening to the Bible all through the night. I placed it right by my pillow so those comforting words floated into my subconscious thoughts.

My nightmares lessened.

Even now, when I wake in the night, His words of life flow over me. I listen for a moment to see where I am in the narrative. I rest. I fall back to sleep with His words swirling around and into my soul.

In lonely times, He is our comfort. In isolation—from a pandemic, health reasons, loss of a loved one, a move, or whatever causes it, run to the Lord and His word. His word and the Holy Spirit will strengthen you. He will help fill the void.

Loneliness is real. We need to reach out to others who, at some level, are also experiencing loneliness. We are commanded throughout the New Testament to do good things for others. To hang out with others. There are many ‘one another’ passages. Encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. (1Thessalonians 5:11 nlt)

A friend posted that, though months after the loss of her husband, she still feels the sting. In her loneliness, she counted the things for which she was thankful. That’s a great exercise.

All of us, every day, should thank the Lord for what we do have. Today, I’m thankful for waking and being migraine free. For my husband, my family, old friends that are a text away, food, my home, my new friends, church and Bible study groups, and I’m thankful for you.

What are things that make you thankful? What blessings has God given you? Who do you know that needs your words of encouragement?