Why you Need the Scourge of Loneliness Banished.

You Don't Have to Live with Loneliness!

Image: An older gentleman in a black and white photograph smiling with eyes crinkled and gazing off to the right of the picture. Image by Unsplash.

Are you among the millions worldwide feeling lonely? Know that you are not alone in this emotion. Small comfort? Right? Let’s explore the loneliness experience and ways to ease it.

Loneliness is one of the greatest risk factors in maintaining good health and is more dangerous than obesity or smoking 15 cigarettes per day. It increases our risk of mortality to 45%.[1]

First off, what is loneliness? According to Wikipedia, “Loneliness is a complex and usually unpleasant emotional response to isolation. Loneliness typically includes anxious feelings about a lack of connection or communication with others …As such, loneliness can be felt even when surrounded by other people.” [2]

Loneliness is the product of social disconnect. In other words, isolation. Folk is reporting “being so lonely they could die.” [3]

Loneliness became a real thing for millions with little bearing on marital status, socioeconomic factors, or age. Communities shifted from an agrarian society, and the joint communal force needed to handle planting and reaping into urbanization and a sort of ‘every-man-for-himself-era.’

In speaking to His disciples on Mount Olivet on the signs of the final events of the earth, Christ warned of many losing their love for Him and the truth of His doctrine and lacking love for each other (Matthew 24:12). Humans drifting away from each other is another sign of the soon coming of Christ.

To seek an answer to loneliness, let’s consider the model of Christ outlined in the transcript of His love, the Decalogue (Exodus 20:3-17), which bears the mark of social and God-connect. The first four commandments refer to God, and the following six give us the blueprint of getting along with each other.

God did not ordain for humans to live alone. He gave us the example of communal living in both the Old and New Testaments, that is, a model of looking out for each other.

So, knowing this, how and why do we use courage to combat loneliness? The answer lies in the definition of what courage is and for when it is needed. Courage is described as bravery, confidence, grit, determination. It confronts hardship, fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, and intimidation.

The Bible puts it this way, “let's be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD” (Psalms 31:24). The word courage used in this text means to: strengthen; to be strong, to cure; help, and repair.

Pointers on Courage to Combat Loneliness

1.) Belonging

Have the courage to call upon Christ for help. Create a loving relationship with Him, then talk to him as to a friend present beside you. “But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel and sought him, he was found of them.” (2 Chronicles 15:4 )

The goal is to remain undaunted and encouraged in the Lord so you can endure this present difficulty. Remember that you are His, and nothing can shake that! “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). Tip: Join a Bible study group.

2.) Support

Have the courage to seek out a friend in love without condemning them for leaving you alone. Paul did it in his plaintive plead to Timothy; “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee.” (2 Timothy 4:11) Tip: Video chat when you can.

3.) Purpose

Have the courage to step out of your comfort zone and help someone else. It may save your life. “They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.” (Isaiah 41:6)

But first, we must ourselves be encouraged and feel the love. John the beloved of Christ wrote to a cherished friend; “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 1:3). Recognizing the love of Christ to us and living to share that love and with others is undoubtedly the foundation of battling any difficulty. Tip: Identify one person in your neighborhood to assist.

Following Christ calls for courage to stand. Stand today and know that we are with you. Together we are going home soon!

[1] Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D., The Potential Public Health Relevance of Social Isolation and Loneliness: Prevalence, Epidemiology, and Risk Factors, Public Policy & Aging Report, Volume 27, Issue 4, 2017, Pages 127–130, https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/prx030 [2]contributors, Wikipedia. “Epidemic.” 03 September 2020. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Ed. 29 August 2020 08:22 UTC. < https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Epidemic&oldid=975576774>. [3]Sliwa, Jim. So Lonely I Could Die. Ed. Press Release. 05 August 2017. 27 08 2020. <https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/08/lonely-die>.