Loneliness

Such an evocative word.

I remember discussing it in high school. Most of my classmates believed being alone mean being lonely. I disagreed. I can feel lonelier in a crowd than my myself.

When alone, I’m more aware of God’s presence and I feel at peace. Still there have been times when I’ve been alone for too long, and a season of loneliness crept in Usually this happens when one season of my life ends and the next hasn’t yet begun.

For example, when I became a Christian, my life completely changed. I didn’t know what to do or who to do it with. I was lonely. So I prayed and asked God for a friend. He answered with a unique friend: an elderly woman named Alice. What sweet times we shared! In time, I made new friends, but in those initial lonely days I had my answer to prayer: Alice.

Are you in a new or difficult season? Has a relationship ended leaving you feeling alone? Are you a mom at home with little ones but you crave adult connection?

Ask God for a friend. Perhaps your answer will be a friendship as lovely as mine was with Alice.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28-29

– Anne Vargus