Loneliness

1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Mat 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Mar 6:30 ¶ And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
Mar 6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
Mar 6:32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.


I don't believe there is anything more acidic than the fear of being alone.

We try to be self sufficient, many of us succeed. But still there is the intense desire to know, that somehow we don't have to do it all alone.

But the fear of being alone is an acid. It permeates every portion of our being and if left unchecked begins to dramatically effect not only our behaviors, but our firmest beliefs.

I have often wandered why so many of the people I know are wiling to stay in a relationship or situation while the ship is on fire and filled with gasoline. But it isn't love that keeps them there; love is pure, enduring, not suicidal.

I was reading in Mark this morning and saw this:

Mar 6:30 The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.
Mar 6:31 And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

What stood out to me was this. Here Jesus had sent his disciples out with real power and when they get back to tell him how well it went the first thing he does is say, "Let's get by ourselves to a lonely place." I suppose I was expected to see him give them a pat on the back.

These men had just experience more power and likely more people flocking to them than they had ever known. Can you imagine the crowds that must have followed them? even the man who brought his son that they were unable to cast the demon out. But Jesus tells them to come and be alone. He tells them to come and be alone so they can rest.

Here is my suggestion. If the fear of loneliness is a very real thing to you. Realize that being alone is not the issue because we have been assured that he will never leave us nor forsake us. WE ARE NOT ALONE. But confront the fear, meet it head on, and call it for what it is.

We must realize that "fear brings torment, but perfect love casts out fear." Many times when we feel lonely we allow our own minds and our own emotions to torment us. But why are we letting ourselves do this? I personally think it might be due to our own retardation. And if you are thinking this might be an issue of faith it is not.

This is an issue of acceptance and submission. If we believe the word of God is true. If we believe he is faithful and just, than we need to submit our mind to the understanding he has not left us alone. Then we need to accept and allow his love to cast out the fear, not just of being alone, but of anything.

So if you find yourself feeling lonely, wanting desperately for company, checking your email, your myspace, and your facebook twenty times a day just see if someone knows you are alive, and thinking you will die alone, stop it! Stop it!Stop it! If you want to make camp on that mountain go ahead, but you will never find rest on a steep slope.

Instead plant yourself in the word, discover just how not alone you are. How many promises of intimacy the Lord gives for those who seek him.

David says in the Psalms on more than one occasion that the only thing he wants is to be in the holy of holies with the lord. Do you realize this is the one place on earth where one "sinless" man could go one time a year! and if anyone tried to come in otherwise they died!!! That my friends is a lonely place, but it is also the place nearest God's heart.

Jesus told his disciples not to relish in their new power and new crowds, but to come apart. He says to David "Seek my face." Why? because is seeking his face and being apart you can find true rest, true peace, true company.I can think of only one place that is truly alone and that is separated from God.

If you find yourself lonely, brokenhearted, confused, and tired. I would ask you to do this seek after his face, set yourself apart in a place with the word, because the word is life. Just like Jesus took the disciples aside to let them regain their strength, he'll take you and me.