Where's God When We're lonely?

Of all struggles most believers will face, loneliness is one of the most trying. It’s very easy to waver in your faith when battling the pain of feeling alone. Some may turn away from their faith because they felt they never got an answer to the question, “Where is God when I feel so alone?”

There is probably no single good way to look at the question. A relationship with Christ is dependent on the belief in things unseen. While at first glance loneliness is invisible, it is so deeply felt that few of us would question if it’s real. For those facing deep loneliness, hearing simple responses like “God is always with us” may bring more questions than answers.

But loneliness is not just an individual problem. It is a societal issue too, and it ought to be at the heart of every church community as well.

When we are feeling alone and abandoned we can consider that…

We live in an imperfect world. In this place it is natural to experience every kind of pain. The existence of suffering doesn’t mean that God is punishing, forgetting or abandoning us. As C.S. Lewis wrote, in paraphrase, “… pain is an indication that something is wrong. It only takes an imperfect world of imperfect people to witness that. “

It is the responsibility of all believers to do their part to show Christ’s love and give aid to the needy. Some church communities may be wonderful at offering physical assistance in the form of food, clothing or even shelter. However too many churches have fallen short of aiding emotional needs. We may hear that it’s not good for humans to be alone, but rather than offer our presence and friendship to the lonely, we spout platitudes and tell them to make God their everything. But let’s remember that God works through people, and He may be waiting on you to demonstrate his love. That’s not to say that we don’t each have our own lessons and responsibilities during our times of loneliness. It means that if we are to be a good witness, we don’t abandon those in need.

Though the reality is that God is truly with us, none of us will always feel His presence. ln fact, walking in loneliness is much like traveling in the wilderness. God will use this time to teach us and reach our hearts if we can be so open. Our deepest loneliness may turn out to be the very thing that drew us closer to him so that we are able to hold fast to our faith in challenging times. Ideally, it will also be an opportunity to know and grow with other believers.

Have you been wondering where God is when you feel alone? We’d love for you to join us for a service this Sunday! Visit our website today to learn more.