Most of us have felt lonely in some form or another. I remember the deep sense of loneliness that swept over me during my first day in boarding school. I felt very cut off, surrounded by people I didn’t know and who swore a lot.

I know some people with physical disabilities who say that their biggest pain is loneliness. People who move school or home; friends who fall out and have no one to talk to—there’s so many things that make us feel cut off and alone.

If we want to be followers of Jesus, we should be looking out for the lonely. But we can’t be with them all the time, and perhaps we can’t always fully understand their pain. Only God can meet the needs of the lonely. And here is the good news. In Jesus He has revealed Himself as “Immanuel” which means: “God with us” (MATT. 1:23).

One day I visited a friend who often struggles with loneliness. Before leaving, we read, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (MATT. 28:20). “A great promise,” I said. Straightaway she said, “That’s not a promise. It’s reality!” For her, Immanuel is the only cure for loneliness.

By: Herb VanderLugt

To Pray About . . .

Lord, I understand the feeling of being lonely. I pray for those who feel lonely to meet You and that one day they would know that You are always with them.