Building Belonging in a Lonely Worldنموونە

Devotion 2: Understanding Ourselves

Those who feel lonely do not experience the life in all its fullness that Jesus promises, so there is a mandate upon us as Christians to tackle loneliness. But how?

On the first day of our reading plan, we considered how social isolation can be deeply damaging. Yet, in our reading today, we see that Jesus intentionally distanced himself from others. This is a regular occurrence in Mark’s gospel; almost every major occurrence is preceded by Jesus seeking space to be alone with God.

This is because solitude and isolation are different. While long-term isolation can be damaging, occasional intentional solitude can be deeply enriching and can afford us an opportunity to build two foundational pillars for our efforts to tackle loneliness. 1. A deeper understanding of God’s character, His inexhaustible love, and His good and perfect will for our lives; and 2. A deeper understanding of ourselves.

Rooted in His perspective of our identity, we can better recognise not only who He is but also who we are. In quiet intimacy, God shines a light on our limitations, prejudices, and false assumptions, and on our skills, gifts, and unique calling. Time with God helps us develop the fruits of His Spirit and equips us with deeper empathy and acceptance of ourselves and others.

Increased self-awareness positively impacts how we see and interact with others. Pete Scazzero, author of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, says, “The extent to which we love and respect ourselves is the extent to which we will be able to love and respect others.”

Cultivating solitude in our frenetic lives may seem impossible; with ever-present distractions, committing time for personal reflection and prayer may even feel burdensome…but it's essential.

Prayerfully Consider: Does your relationship with God guide you in creating authentic connections with others?

For more on this, please see Session 2 of The Belonging Course.