💙LONELINESS. Something you can experience both on your own, and in the midst of a crowd. Loneliness is an emotional condition, heightened by real or perceived situations where we feel alone.
I’ve felt lonely in the middle of church, in a gathering of gal pals, and at home during COVID lockdown. I have found that I usually feel lonely when I become isolated from others, whether not included in an activity because I wasn’t invited, or I am too caught up in my own thoughts & feelings. Maybe you can relate.
I know Jesus gets where I am coming from, for you can’t go into the desert for 40 days & nights after living in community and not experience the feeling of loneliness. Even in His group of followers, not everyone got His message as to who He was & where He was headed. Feeling the full weight of loneliness for the first time through the separation from His Father when Jesus was fully weighed down with our sin.
💙”Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.” (Psalm 25:16)
Psalm 25:16 gives us some insight into why we experience loneliness – it is an affliction of mind, felt deeply by our senses. And the next verse highlights the emotional aspect so well:
💙”Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.” (Psalm 25:17)
Loneliness can be quite painful, overwhelming, and very isolating.
This week, I’ll share some tips on how to battle loneliness on our journey, together.
#hopefortheharddays
KARLA LEES 