Encouragement

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Do you ever just feel lonely? Sometimes I think people are driven more by loneliness than just about any other emotion.

Loneliness makes people get into dysfunctional relationships. Loneliness keeps people in abusive situations, loneliness leads people to self-medicate and even to end their own lives.

Disappointment with what is going on in my life makes me feel lonely sometimes, because I begin feeling left out of God's plans. Of course, by faith, I know that is not the case. But it doesn't change the way I feel, at least not right away.

However, the fact that I am not feeling lonely right now testifies to me that God is faithful. God has taken away the nagging feelings. Even when I was feeling in the pit, because of who He is, because of his presence, because of his love, I have hope to go on living.

I know feelings come and go. I want to remind anyone reading this to remember that feelings come and go. The Lord stays.

It's easy enough to say people "should" not feel lonely, or that they "should" not pay attention to their emotions. But we all know how real they are, how they bite and kick and squeeze and tear. That's when we have to let faith come in.

Sometimes we don't have time to pray. Sometimes we just have time to believe what we know. Sometimes we don't even know what we know. Sometimes we only know Who we know and that has to be enough.

The Bible says Jesus was tempted as we are. Think about how he must have felt on the cross. Utterly alone, even cast out by his Father for our sakes. And realize he will never leave you and never forsake you.

Recently I was going through one of my thoughtful periods, reflecting on the major crisis of my childhood, my parents' divorce, and I was writing about it. I was thinking about my dad. I felt the Lord say to me, "What would you have said to him if you thought he would listen?"

"Daddy, come back," I said and the tears of healing came. "Daddy, don't leave." And I heard the voice of the Lord speak to my heart.

"He did, but I won't," I heard him say to my heart.

Don't forget to own what you know. He will never leave you or forsake you.

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