Where Is God in This?Sýnishorn

Our loneliness can bring us closer to God—if we let it. But God needs an “in” with us. Our world continues to reach new heights of busyness. You’ve been hearing that for years, and we still get busier and busier.

Sometimes God has to remove those distractions completely in order to get our undivided attention. I think about my daughter, Sterling. If her favorite show is on or if she’s on a playdate with a friend, I have no chance of communicating with that girl. Yet, if I turn off the iPad or walk her into a room by herself, she listens.

Jesus got this. In Luke 5:16, we read, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” In fact, we’re told many times throughout the Gospels that Jesus’s destination for prayer was a “lonely” place of isolation.

In the same way, God draws us away to our “lonely” place because he wants more time with us. Because without all the noise, we can hear him better. Because he wants to hang out with us. Because he wants us to know him better and to grow in discernment. Because he knows what’s ahead and wants to prepare us for it.

Maybe loneliness isn’t God taking something away from us but giving us something we don’t even know we need.

So what does this look like in everyday life? Will our loneliness just go away because we know God wants to leverage it for good? Of course not. That would defeat the purpose of the season. But there are some simple things we can do to avoid needless isolation.

For one, stop doing anything that constantly leaves you lonely. Just stop.

If something hurts you or isolates you, be disciplined enough—­love yourself enough—­to just stop. Can’t stop on your own? Ask for help. If you’re choosing isolation, you’re choosing death in areas of your life and health that are not worth compromising.

What about those of you who are lonely due to no fault of your own? Reach out—today. Reach out to a friend, a counselor—or even anonymously to an online support group. It takes courage, yes. But your joy, peace, and freedom can and will be restored.

Ask yourself, what could God’s good purpose be for me here? Remember, you are not alone; God is with you.