Loneliness...

Loneliness is the sense of feeling alone; feeling friendless, isolated, withdrawn, disconnected, disjointed, deserted or forgotten.  I am sure we have all felt any these at one point or another.  But the question is, when you feel lonely, do you push away from everyone (including God) or do cleave to God and seek friends?  This was a point that Pastor Hargrove brought out yesterday during the Sunday Morning Teaching. 

When a person is feeling hurt and wounded by another's words or actions sometimes the instant reaction is to withdraw themselves.  Thinking that if they push away from the hurt they will be protecting themselves from being hurt again.  But in doing so, sometimes they push away from God too.  Oh, it may be a missed prayer time here or a skipped bible reading time there, but eventually they are farther away from God than they ever intended to be.  This leaves them vulnerable for an attack from satan.  But in Romans 12:9 it says, "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good".  When there are times when we begin to feel lonely for one reason or another, the best remedy is to cleave to that which is good.  Cleave to things that are true, honest, virtuous and pure.  In Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things".  Think on these things...pull them close to you...cleave to them!  Don't allow the hurt you have experienced make you feel disconnected or lonely to the point that you push away from others and God.  Cleave to God and get connected in His work. 

Ephesians 4:16 says, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love".  We, the children of God, the body of Christ, should be fitly joined together and compacted to the point that every joint works equally and together so that the body can effectively work and edify in love.  When one starts to become disjointed, we need to be sensitive enough to help them get reconnected.  Even if the only thing that you can do to help them is pray.  Prayer is mighty weapon in the hands of a child of God.