The Gift That Beats Loneliness

Are you ever lonely? Loneliness can hit all of us in so many ways. Maybe you’re lonely as you wait for your perfect spouse, or you are lonely in the marriage you already have. Perhaps you are lonely as you patiently wait for the child that never comes, or you are lonely as you parent your children by yourself. What if you are lonely as you await a job offer, or you feel all alone in the role you have in your current career. Maybe loneliness comes to you in a new city, broken friendships, or loss of a loved one. Regardless of your reason for feeling lonely, we all feel it sometime or another.

Loneliness can sometimes be debilitating and keep us from moving forward, and other times it can motivate us to push ourselves out of our comfort zone. When we are pushed out of our comfort zone, that can lead us to good things and other times it leads us to panic and making wrong decisions.

I have heard loneliness described as the feeling we have when our need for social contact and relationships aren’t met. When individuals are feeling lonely, they tend to distract themselves with other aspects of their life. Such as picking up a new hobby, always going on weekend getaways to avoid staying home, spending time in places they ordinarily wouldn’t just to be around others, or getting a new pet so they aren’t alone all the time. While these things can be great on their own, they can also be exhausting. Surely there is a better way to beat our loneliness.

We are not promised to have everlasting friendships on earth or to never be disappointed by another person. But we are promised that someone will be sent to us that will stand the time by our sides and in our hearts. In John 14:15-16, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit as our advocate to help us and be with us forever. The word advocate translated combines the ideas of comfort and counsel. Other words for advocate are comforter and encourager. The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God within us, helping us live as God wants.

Jesus tells us that it is hard for the world to accept the Holy Spirit because they cannot see Him. But, when we know Christ and seek Him, we too know the Holy Spirit. I had the privilege of teaching some teenage girls about the Trinity recently. As we learn about the Godhead and His three parts, the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit we see that they are each God but also are separate for the same purpose and will of God. God the Father desires to be with us and draws us to His ultimate plan, the Son fulfills the Father’s plan through His sacrificial death for us, and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts to convict us drawing us deeper in our faith. Isn’t that a beautiful picture. The Holy Spirit draws us closer to God which deepens our relationship with Him and helps us feel His love, encouragement, and grace in a deeper way.

By relying on the Holy Spirit to fulfill our need of relationships, hope, and comfort, we are leaning on the One who will never disappoint or neglect. We will not grow weary from chasing the Holy Spirit because all we have to do is seek Jesus and we are gifted with His presence. There is no new hobby to pick up or trip to take and we don’t have to work on creating something out of thin air.

Our advocate is with us always even when the enemy fills our heads with lies, we have a good cry in the shower, or allow depression to set in. We can trust that we are never alone because we have the promise of Jesus to never leave us or forsake us. He will be with us till the end of time!

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26

“Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ Acts 2:38

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not you own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Digging Deeper:

Recall a time you have felt lonely.

How did you feel God’s presence during that time?

What ways has the Holy Spirit combatted loneliness in your life?