INTRODUCTIONTIPS ON OVERCOMING LONELINESS:
THE EFFECTS OF LONELINESS:Being Lonely or Being Alone?
Terminal Loneliness
Effects Of Loneliness Article by Rev. Charles Stanley
What is the cause of your loneliness?
The World Is My Classroom by Corrie Ten Boom
Have you ever felt lonely? I have. I remember back to a time when I was in the U.S. Navy. My ship would go to sea, but then we would always return again to Norfolk, Virginia, where we were home ported. I served on an aircraft carrier. When coming into port to dock the ship many of the crew were ordered up to the flight deck to stand at attention in our dress uniforms. This was a big PR (public relations) event and very important to the Brass (our higher officers). Lots of photos were taken. I was always there to stand at attention on that flight deck. On the dock there were hundreds of wives, children, girl friends, relatives, and "what have you" shouting and waving to their loved ones on that ship that they would soon see. Well, I was from California- on the other side of the United States. I was single. How many people do you think were standing in that crowd waving and waiting for me personally? Yep. That's right. None. Everyone else seemed to have someone. I had no one. This happened to me many times and each time I dreaded it because I felt so lonely. I had an uncle who lived in Norfolk but we weren't that close. I had two grandmothers who lived in Texas but they were a long ways off. So I had no one. I felt very lonely. In my opinion it is one of the worst feelings a person can have.
In the Old Testament one Hebrew word for loneliness is badad meaning isolated, separated, apart, or alone. This word is used in
In the New Testament the Greek word for loneliness is eremos meaning abandoned, solitary, or lonely. This word is used in
To address this issue of loneliness there have been several songs written. A few of them include:
Hank Williams sang I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Ricky Nelson sang Lonesome Town in 1958
Roy Orbison sang Only the Lonely 1n 1960
Elvis Presley sang Are You Lonesome Tonight? in 1960
Bobby Vinton sang Mr. Lonely in 1964
Glenn Yarbrough sang Lonesome in 1965. The lyrics of that song go something
like this:
feeling alone: feeling sad- being without friends or company
isolated: isolated and rarely visited
without companionship or support: done or lived- without companionship or support from other people
The adjective for the word lonely reads:
"One may have a blazing hearth in one's soul, and yet no one ever comes to sit by it."
"The whole conviction of my life now rests upon the belief that loneliness, far from being a rare and curious phenomenon, peculiar to myself and to a few other solitary men, is the central and inevitable fact of human existence."
"The body is a house of many windows: there we all sit, showing ourselves and crying on the passers-by to come and love us."
"When Christ said:
"I was hungry and you fed me,"
He didn't mean only the hunger for bread and for food; he also meant the hunger to be loved. Jesus himself experienced this loneliness. He came amongst his own and his own received him not, and it hurt Him then and it has kept on hurting Him. The same hunger, the same loneliness, the same having no one to be accepted by and to be loved and wanted by. Every human being in that case resembles Christ in his loneliness; and that is the hardest part, that's real hunger."
Genesis 2:18: "it is not good for man to be alone."
Another Hebrew word for loneliness is yahid meaning solitary, isolated, or lonely.
This word is used in
Psalm 25:16: "I am lonely and afflicted."
Luke 4:42: "He departed and went to a lonely place"
"...lonesome is a little boy standing in a crowd
Those lyrics pretty well describe one's feelings of loneliness, don't they? How does the Encarta Dictionary define loneliness?
a telephone ringing in an empty house
an autumn leaf that first falls from it's tree
a footstep without a place to go
the summer's last robin in winter's first snow
a little dog lost out in the street
an empty bottle- a half filled glass of wine
the sound the clock makes when all you have is time
a heart that breaks when love has turned to aches
the dying sun at the close of day
a jail of tears that won't set me free..."
"The state of feeling sad or dejected as a result of lack of companionship or being separated from others.
or the Wikipedia Encyclopedia defines it this way:
forlorn, lost, lonesome, alone, friendless, without a friend in the world, abandoned, deserted, isolated, solitary, secluded, cut off, deserted."
The above info comes from the Encarta Dictionary. Web address is
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/search.aspx?q=lonely&Submit2;=Go
"Loneliness is an emotional state in which a person experiences a powerful feeling of emptiness and isolation. Loneliness is more than just the feeling of wanting company or wanting to do something with another person. Loneliness is a feeling of being cut off, disconnected from, and alienated towards, other people. The lonely person may find it difficult or even impossible to have any form of meaningful human contact. Lonely people often experience a subjective sense of inner emptiness or hollowness, with feelings of separation or isolation from the world. The first recorded use of the word "lonely" was in William Shakespeare's Coriolanus."
Here are a few quotes from famous people who were also lonely at one time or another:
The above info comes from the web. Web address is
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loneliness
- Vincent van Gogh
- Thomas Wolfe
- Robert Louis Stevenson
- Mother Teresa
The above info comes from the web. Web address is
http://quotes.prolix.nu/Loneliness
"People can experience loneliness for many reasons, and many life events are associated with it. Most people experience loneliness for the first time when they are left alone as a baby. Loneliness is a very common consequence of divorce or the breakup or loss of any important long-term relationship. In these cases, it may stem both from the loss of a specific person and from the withdrawal from social circles caused by the event or the associated sadness.
Loss of a significant person in one's life will typically initiate a grief response; here, one might feel lonely, even in the company of others. Loneliness may also occur after the birth of a child, after marriage or any socially disruptive event, such as moving from one's home town to a university campus. Loneliness can occur within marriages or similar close relationships where there is anger, resentment, or where love cannot be given or received. It may represent a dysfunction of communication. Learning to cope with changes in life patterns is essential in overcoming loneliness."
Believing that "everyone else" has friends
Feeling embarrassed and self-conscious
Being in a crowd but not feeling part of the crowd
Feeling shy and scared of others
Experiencing low self-esteem
Feeling angry, defensive and critical
Feeling socially inadequate and socially de-skilled
Being convinced there is something wrong with you
Feeling disconnected and alienated from your surroundings
Feeling anxious and sad because you believe that no one knows
how miserable and isolated you feel
Losing your capacity to be assertive- feeling "invisible"
Feeling reluctant to attempt to change, or try new things
Feeling "empty", depressed, or even contemplating suicide
The above info comes from the web. Web address is
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loneliness
If you ask for God's guidance, |
What are some problems caused by loneliness? Some of these problems include feelings of worthlessness, sleeplessness, anxiety, aloneness, suicide, and questions concerning God.
The Wikipedia Encyclopedia explains the effects of loneliness this way:
"Loneliness can play a part in alcoholism, and in children a lack of social connections is directly linked to several forms of antisocial and self-destructive behavior, most notably hostile and delinquent behavior. In both children and adults, loneliness often has a negative impact on learning and memory. Its effect on sleep patterns, as well as the abobe-mentioned other effects can have a devastating effect on the ability to function in everyday life.
Some other effects may not be symptomatic for years. In 2005, results from the U.S. Framingham Heart Study demonstrated that lonely men had raised levels of IL-6, a blood chemical linked to heart disease. A 2006 study conducted by the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago found loneliness can add 30 points to a blood pressure reading for adults over the age of 50. Another remarkable finding, from a survey conducted by John Cacioppo, a psychologist at the University of Chicago, is that doctors say they provide better medical care to patients who have a strong network of family and friends than they do to patients who are alone.
Enforced loneliness (solitary confinement) has been a punishment method throughout history. It is often considered a form of torture."
"There's a difference between being lonely and being alone.
Lonliness is the result of having come out of a long-term exclusive relationship and finding yourself feeling overwhelmed by a sense of alienation. No longer able to enjoy the friendship, companionship, and the intimacy of being with someone on a regular basis, you feel like a mathematical anomoly; divided by two when alone and multiplied by three when at a social function. Nothing feels right. From the first waking moment of the day to that moment when sleep takes over, being alone in a bed is not as comfortable as it would seem to be.
Aloneness is something else. There comes a time when, having passed through the in-between time of being lonely, you adjust. Some of the positive factors concerning singlehood have been realized. Life begins to pick up again. Eventually, you begin to get out again."
"Loneliness should not be equated with being alone. Everyone has times when they are alone through circumstances or choice. Being alone can be experienced as positive, pleasurable, and emotionally refreshing if it is under the individual's control. Solitude is the state of being alone and secluded from other people, and often implies having made a conscious choice to be alone. Loneliness is therefore unwilling solitude.
In their growth as individuals, humans start a separation process at birth, which continues with growing independence towards adulthood. As such, feeling alone can be a healthy emotion and, indeed, choosing to be alone for a period of solitude can be enriching. To experience loneliness, however, can be to feel overwhelmed by an unbearable feeling of separateness at a profound level. This can manifest in feelings of abandonment, rejection, depression, insecurity, anxiety, hopelessness, unworthiness and meaninglessness. If these feelings are prolonged they may become debilitating and serve to prevent us from developing healthy relationships and lifestyles. If the individual is convinced he or she is unlovable, this will increase the experience of suffering and the likelihood of avoiding social contact. Low self esteem will often trigger the social disconnection which can lead to loneliness."
Death is not the end of your life but the beginning of it.
It's tough to face aloneness when facing death at the same time.
One time a sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side." Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know." "You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing...I know my Master is there and that is enough."
"Another treatment for both loneliness and depression is pet therapy, or animal-assisted therapy, as it is more formally known. Some studies and surveys, as well as anecdotal evidence provided by volunteer and community organizations, indicate that the presence of animal companions- dogs, cats, and even rabbits or guinea pigs- can ease feelings of depression and loneliness among elderly people in nursing homes, for example. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are a number of health benefits associated with pet ownership: In addition to easing feelings of loneliness (because of the increased opportunities for socializing with other pet owners, in addition to the companionship the animal provides), having a pet is associated with lowered blood pressure and decreased levels of cholesterol and triglycerides."
If you know someone who is extremely lonely, living alone, (and possibly terminally ill), you might consider giving him or her a sweet and caring dog. A dog gives unconditional love and helps ease the pain of loneliness. A dog gives them something to love. A dog is a faithful friend and can give hours of companionship.
1. Dogs lie around all day, sprawled on the most comfortable piece of furniture in the house.
2. They can hear a package of food opening half a block away, but don't hear you when you're in the same room.
3. They can look dumb and lovable all at the same time.
4. They growl when they are not happy.
5. When you want to play, they want to play.
6. When you want to be alone, they want to play.
7. They are great at begging.
8. They will love you forever if you rub their tummies.
9. They leave their toys everywhere.
10. They do disgusting things with their mouths and then try to give you a kiss.
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself."
"No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does. Outside of a dog, a book is probably man's best friend. There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face."
"We wonder why the dogs always drink out of our toilets, but look at it from their point of view: why do humans keep peeing into their water bowls? When a man's best friend is his dog, that dog has a problem."
Did you ever notice when you blow in a dog's face he gets mad at you? But put him in a car and the first thing he does is stick his head out the window.
1. Thoroughly clean the toilet.
2. Add the required amount of shampoo to the toilet water, and have both lids lifted.
3. Obtain the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.
4. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids (you may need to stand on the lid so that he cannot escape).
CAUTION: Do not get any part of your body too close to the edge, as his paws will be reaching out for any purchase they can find. The cat will self-agitate and make ample suds. Never mind the noises that come from your toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this.
5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a "powerwash and rinse" which I have found to be quite effective.
6. Have someone open the door to the outside and ensure that there are no people between the toilet and the outside door.
7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift both lids.
8. The now-clean cat will rocket out of the toilet, and run outside where he will dry himself.
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night."
"Night time can be the loneliest part of any twenty-four hours. For those who are chronically ill, it may be physically painful as well. And the combination can be especially tormenting. If I awake in pain, I can't always count on television to distract me or lull me back to sleep. There may not be anyone else around to keep me company, and if there is I may do my best not to wake them, too.
With pain and sleeplessness as my only companions, the night may be when I feel most alone. But feeling isn't always believing. In Jesus' day, well-tended sheep were never left alone to face wolves or thieves or attacks of pain in the night. Shepherds took turns staying awake and guarding the flock, or even nursing a small or sick lamb through the dark, lonely evening.
While earth's shepherds watched their flocks, a Heavenly Shepherd entered the world to care for His sheep. He came at night, assuring me of continued companionship even in the longest, darkest hours.
0 sympathetic Shepherd, thank You for being my companion and my friend. Today I will consider Your ever-faithful and comforting presence. Tonight I will sleep soundly in You."
"If only I knew where to find Him; if only I could go to His dwelling!"
"Who are You, God?" became "Where are You, God?" Job knew his Redeemer lived, but he couldn't make contact with Him. God was silent, and Job was suffering the most acute form of loneliness� separation from God. But he kept on asking and searching for a God who would make a difference in his life.
Job had been as penitent as he knew how and even managed to praise God at intervals during his suffering. Where was this Being to Whom he had given himself?
The emotional pain of loneliness is a sign, just as physical pain is, that something is missing or out of balance.
In his torment, Job didn't know some of the things I can know. I know where my Redeemer dwells: He inhabits His Word; He resides in prayer; and He occupies my heart through His Spirit. He is never far away. If illness is preventing me from finding God, I may be like someone who keeps looking for eyeglasses that are perched on her head.
My Redeemer and my God, sometimes I can't find You. Teach me how to recognize Your loving presence. Today I will concentrate on believing that You are with me in everything I do."
There was a time when Jesus Christ experienced terminal loneliness.
In the telling of the crucifixion story, two Gospels clearly recall some of the final words of Christ.
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which means in English, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
The first words of Psalm 22 are: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
For all who would listen, Jesus is identifying with every person who is suffering terminal loneliness. His Heavenly Father had to turn away from Him because Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin, because you and I placed our sins on Him on that cross through substitution. We asked Him to take our sins away. He took our sins away from us and placed them on Himself while He hung there on that cross. (He did that positionally because as God He can transpose time). He did that for you because He loves you.
Whatever is happening in our lives is no surprise to God. He has it all under control. He has experienced your hell. He loves you no matter what you are going through. Do you know that God is alive, well, and still speaking today? He still desires to have a personal relationship with you- to offer you comfort, love, guidance, forgiveness, and acceptance. But you must ask Him- ask Him to come to live inside of your heart. And when He takes you to Heaven it is just the beginning of your life and not the end of it.
Cross bearing
"Perhaps the most common malady of soul in our sophisticated age today is loneliness. Whether married or single, rich or poor, a teenager, mid-lifer, or senior citizen, loneliness can strike and depart with the sudden intensity of a summer storm or linger like an artic winter.
We can be lonely while in the center of activity at work or home. Laughter and busyness may surround us, but they cannot pierce the darkness of our loneliness. While we sometimes need brief seasons of solitude for God to refresh and renew our weary souls, protracted times of isolation can bring numbing loneliness of the soul.
There are no easy answers for handling loneliness. There are no prefabricated steps out of the wilderness, out of the quagmire. Our loneliness can become a pathway to God. It may not be a well-marked trail (for each person must walk his own); but God will illumine the path to the man, woman, or young person willing to turn to Him in their pain.
God Knows How You Feel:
"Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same..."
"Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest..."
"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses..."
Isaiah 53:3 says that Jesus was
"despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief..."
Christ understands your loneliness for He, too, was lonely at times. Think of childhood. How could a perfect young boy (for He was sinless) be accepted by His peers? Do you think Jesus had many friends when He was a teenager? Probably not, though we know virtually nothing about His adolescent years.
His ministry that brought healing and blessing to multitudes also brought rejection and misunderstanding. Although He traveled with the disciples for several years, they seldom communicated on the same wavelength.
When He hung on the cross, He uttered these horrible words:
"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
Loneliness can lead to immoral relationships. Since intimacy with another is one attempt to dispel loneliness, we can seek out immoral relationships. But all the physical contact in the world cannot fill any empty, lonely heart. It may satisfy for a brief season, but the problem remains.
Loneliness can impact our finances. Often when we are lonely, we think that purchasing certain items will give us an emotional lift. It may, but it can also put an unnecessary dent in our wallet. Abuse of credit cards can sometimes be futile attempts to break through the enclosing walls of loneliness.
Loneliness can damage our self-esteem. This is perhaps the greatest danger in dealing with loneliness. We doubt our worth to God and others. We feel so alone and hopeless. We no longer see ourselves from the perspective of the Scriptures. Loneliness distorts our self-esteem and puts us into false bondage. Lonely people want to reach out to others but feel they cannot.
Loneliness can produce physical problems and even lead to suicide. Our bodies and emotions are intertwined. Excessive sieges of loneliness can create physical problems. Worse, the despair can be so great that suicide becomes an option. The ought that nobody cares is a common thread in suicidal cases.
Coming Through Loneliness:
Salvation is the reconciliation of man and God and the restoration of intimate fellowship that man was created to partake of and enjoy.
God has adopted every Christian as His child and made them members of His household. God is now our Father, and we are His sons and daughters. That is not only our position but the kind of spiritual intimacy we can have with the living God.
Once we were enemies with God. Now He calls us His friends.
In times of excruciating loneliness, we can experience the friendship of God in more intimate terms than ever before. You have Christ in you. Wherever you live, wherever you go, you take God for He indwells you through the Holy Spirit.
Obviously, this is where the person mired in loneliness finds such great barriers. He is lonely to some extent because he has not found another person with whom he can share his burdens.
However, God knows our need for one another. That is why he designed the body of Christ to function as a unit of believers, each helping one another through the exercise of spiritual gifts. He gives us encouragement, comfort, and help through the fellowship and assistance of another person.
David had Jonathan. Moses had Joshua. Elijah had Elisha. Paul had Timothy, Barnabas, and Silas. When Jesus sent the seventy out to minister in His name, He sent them out in pairs.
How can you reach outside of yourself when you feel all alone?
Pray for a bridge of friendship with one person. Pray specifically for God to provide the right person who will encourage you and whom you also can help. Then wait on God to provide His answer.
Under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, do something for someone else. It will help keep your mind off your troubles and perhaps be a partial span in building the bridge of friendship with another Christian.
That bridge may seem like tightrope right now, but God wants to use you to help others. In the process, He sends His encouragement to you. He will give you the courage to do what you need to do.
Delight in the friendship of God, replace depressing feelings with God's everlasting truth. Take one small step of faith to serve another, and you will be on God's pathway out of loneliness. It may take some time, but God will bring you through your pain.
I'm
There are several things a person can do to overcome his or her feelings of loneliness. Here are some tips from several different persons to help you.
"How do you cope with the feelings associated with loneliness? (hide away, drink alcohol, sleep?)
Distinguish times when you feel relaxed in your own company and when you feel unpleasantly lonely.
Determine whether your preferred style of relating is on a one-to-one basis or in a group.
Take some risks� speak to people, smile a lot, make an effort, get involved, do something new.
Seize opportunities, even if you don't feel like it!
It should be remembered that feeling lonely is a common, human emotion experienced by everyone at times (and therefore is not a defect). Intimate friendships take time to develop, and sometimes it is useful to help deal with the loneliness by sharing your experiences with someone else."
"Do you know what is the first thing to overcome lonliness??? The first thing is to be with ease and satisfied with your own self because a feeling of lonliness is not neceassarily about being alone or having nobody...it's about being unsatisfied with the people in your life. And it includes being unsatisfied with your self.
You will be able to over come your feelings only when you learn to have a good time by your self. you will enjoy others company when you enjoy your own first.
You have to be confident about who you are and about how you feel. I am sure there are a lot of people who are your friends and want to be with you as friends...but you will have to take the first step and start thinking them as your friends. It's a real bummer that your best friend lives far away from you but there are other people around. No one will take her place, of course, but you have to let them all make a place in your life.
You have to open your heart to let people in because nobody likes to knock on closed doors.
you are very special and there are so many people who want to be with you- just realize that- and life will be so good. Sit with your self and see what you have to offer...I am sure you will be surprised to see how much you can do....."
Come on in
Something missing?
"Are you looking for someone or something to "complete you"? You might be single but just as well might be married. Single people aren't alone when it comes to believing that there is someone out there that is capable of satisfying their every need...One person to provide love, security, excitement and inspiration. Someone to support you physically, emotionally and financially allowing you maximize your one lifetime.
Too common are the affairs, breakups and abuse which become the sad result of the awareness that "something is missing". That "something" must be the fault of your partner either in what they don't give you or for what they fail to bring out in you. Or maybe they were simply the wrong choice as what you need surely is available through another. How could you be expected to endure a lifetime "knowing" that there is something more out there? After all, you only live once, settling isn't an option and wouldn't it be a shame to have regrets in the end?
Your emptiness or void is real and it is right for you to take action to fill it. However, for many people the changes they make only seem to compound prior mistakes. Without any understanding of what "it...is" you will inevitably look in the wrong places for answers.
Without a clear determination of what it is that you seek your decisions will be random and will produce only distractions in your life...not satisfaction. Changing partners will not necessarily bring the satisfaction you seek, but may only delay the awareness of your real solutions.
These changes become distractions that may consume your thoughts, time and energies for a while but expect that when the infatuation or newness is gone you will again be left with that same old feeling that something is missing again.
It is right for you to pursue a different course for your life but wrong to continue the failed patterns that directed you to where you currently stand. A different way is what you need but you should learn more about it first.
People suffering from the condition of loneliness don't realize that they are in total control. Most don't know what to do, or simply don't know where to find the support they feel they need to make changes. This 12 step process will show you the way. Reading isn't going to be enough. You must be committed to taking action. If you are, you can END your loneliness!
1. Make sure it isn't medical- Depression and Social Anxiety are two very common conditions that frequently go undiagnosed. If you are one of the 23 million Americans with either of the conditions, you need to know! Efforts to end loneliness may fail simply due to these medical conditions.
2. Learn to reach out- Reaching out requires you to move from a passive to an active lifestyle. Building and maintaining a dynamic support network is your responsibility.
3. Be a student of life- people think nothing of investing thousands of dollars and several years to develop skills and knowledge to advance careers, yet struggle to find the time or commit marginal resources towards improving life skills. Life skills will help to provide tools for improving communication and confidence necessary for you to take control of your life. Invest a few hours and a few dollars to read a book that could make you more positive, a better listener, and even a better friend or partner.
4. Make a plan- An action plan is a contract that you make with yourself that identifies those steps you agree to take in an effort to alleviate loneliness.
5. Do a self-inventory- what personal changes regarding lifestyle, personality, appearance, and attitude need to be made
6. Take action- Remember the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results! If something isn't working, change it!
7. influence through empathy- Learn to understand the vision and motivation of people you interact with.
8. Create a positive environment- Surround yourself with positive things, people and environments.
9. Realize it's OK to need help- For some unknown cultural reason we have not been taught and reinforced to address our emotional health in the same manner as our physical health. This is a mistake.
10. Learning to ask the right questions will change your life!- find out what other people think before you tell them what you think. Use questions to meet new people or turn acquaintances into friends or lovers. Ask open ended questions that begin with why and how instead of questions that can be answered with a "yes or no".
11. Give of yourself- Go where you are needed and wanted... volunteer.
12. The Internet is a tool not a crutch. The Internet can be used as a facilitator of communication or as a social barrier."
The above info comes from the web. Web address is
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loneliness
a lonely elephant
The above info comes from the web. Web address is
http://www.romanceopedia.com/SA-InBetweenTime.html
This info comes from the web. Web address is
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loneliness
This article comes from the web. Web address is
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loneliness
Written by The Cat
- Josh Billings.
-Ben Williams
- Edward Abbey
Written by The Dog
(Luke 2:8).
Sharon Broyles, AUGUST 14, Strenth For Today, HarperSanFrancisco, New York, New York, 1993
(Job 23:3).
Sharon Broyles, SEPTEMBER 18, Strenth For Today, HarperSanFrancisco, New York, New York, 1993
Mark 15:34 NIV (see also Matthew 27:46)
(Psalm 22:1a NIV)
ends with
Crown wearing
by Rev. Charles Stanley
One of the most comforting truths of the Bible is that we have a Savior God who understands our emotions.
Because Jesus became man, He shares in the full range of our feelings. While loneliness is not sin (although it can lead to sin through attempts to gain acceptance), it is part of our frail humanity.
(Hebrews 2:14).
(Hebrews 4:15).
(Hebrews 2:17).
(Matthew 27:46) Jesus, for the first and only time in eternity, lost fellowship with the Father as He suffered the penalty for our sins. Could there ever have been or ever be any greater sense of forsakenness?
Loneliness does not have to be a permanent condition of the human heart. Indeed, God can use our times of loneliness to forge new intimacy with Him that will sustain us even in the most desperate moments.
Friendship With God:
The first man, Adam, was alone in the Garden of Eden; but there was no indication that he was ever lonely. Quite the opposite seemed evident. He enjoyed exquisite communion with the Father who provided him with a helpmate, Eve,
because
"...It is not good for the man to be alone..."
What Kind Of Friend Is God?
(Genesis 2:18). Loneliness of spirit began when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. At that point, all the misery of sin was injected into human existence, including the most painful woe, loss of intimacy with the Father.
Read John 15:14-17. Salvation then is a friendship with God that is never ending.
(John 14:16-18).
The surge and staying power of loneliness can sometimes obscure just how wonderful a friend God is to His children. We easily succumb to our feelings rather than clinging to the truth of God's Word.
What kind of friend do we have in Jesus?
A friend who hears us, comforts us, cares for us, allows us to share in His triumph over sin and Satan, fills us with His hope, peace, and joy, and provides abundant grace to meet every demand.
Reaching Outside Of Ourselves:
God made us for intimacy with others as well. Although only Christ alone can meet the deepest pain of loneliness (for even the best friend can fail you), we do need contact and fellowship with other individuals for a healthy, balanced life.
Do those good works involve helping others?
Read Psalm 32:8.
Can you think of some activity in your church, your neighborhood, your work place where you can be a servant? Ask God to show you where He can use you to accomplish the good works He has ordained.
The Father's Heart
Loneliness does not have to be feared or even avoided. God desires to take such seasons to bring us closer to Him, to make us truly understand that we are complete in Christ. It is a time to listen to Him, wait on Him, and rest in His sufficiency."
This article comes from the web titled How To Handle Loneliness. Web address is
http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/exploring/studies/pressures/lesson1/index_345894.html
Lonely
The above info comes from the web. Web address is
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loneliness
This info comes from the web. Web address is
http://experts.about.com/q/Coping-Loneliness-2235/Lonliness.htm
And
Bring a friend
by Bill Keefe
This info comes from the web. Web address is
http://www.stoploneliness.com/