Loneliness isn’t only about being by yourself. You can be at work, at a party or at home with family and still feel that nobody really knows you. Many people describe it as being seen but not known.
Made for connection
In the Bible’s first story, loneliness is the first thing God calls “not good”, before anything has gone wrong:
It is not good for the man to be alone.
Genesis 2:18
The longing to belong is not weakness. It is part of how you were made.
Fully known, still loved
Often we keep people at a distance because we fear that if they really knew us, they would leave. The Bible describes a God who already knows everything about you, and stays:
Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
Psalm 139:1–3
Jesus knew loneliness too. On the night before he died, his closest friends fell asleep while he prayed in anguish, then ran when he was arrested. He understands what it is to be alone among people.
I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.
Hebrews 13:5
Belonging takes practice
God’s answer to loneliness includes people. Christians call the church a family, imperfect but real, where people share life, meals and burdens. Finding that kind of community takes time and a little courage.
If loneliness is weighing heavily on you, please reach out to someone today. Lifeline is available on 13 11 14. And if you would like help finding a welcoming church nearby, or just someone to talk to, we would be glad to help.
