Loneliness can be felt by any one of us, at any time & in the most surprising of settings…
Welcome dear friend, come & sit with me for awhile as we reflect upon this strange emotion….while sipping our cuppas together…
I have prepared a hot cup of Creme Brulee tea, which is absolutely delicious & have a few slices of the most deliciously moist gf fruit cake ready…specially baked for me by an old friend…he gifts this to us each year for Christmas! We appreciate the love & time spent in making this gift.
In the years I spent as a Clinical Counselor I came across many people who felt alone, lonely or immersed in the feelings of loneliness in the issues that were impacting their lives.
I’m sure most of us can relate to this emotion at some point in our life…So what is this thing called loneliness that can come to anyone of us?
The dictionaries define it generally as;
“Solitary, isolated, unfrequented, sad because of being companionless.”
However I believe this definition is a little too simplistic…
There are many ways in feeling alone or lonely & they are not necessarily in being isolated, solitary or companionless.
Let me personalize this for you;
There was a time in my life many years ago, before I was a registered Therapist, when I went through a very difficult situation with a significant other in my life…
I can remember within that time being at a social event, surrounded by the people I knew & loved…yet feeling very much alone…actually the loneliest I had ever felt in my entire life.
In other words loneliness is a state of mind…it isolates us within our own thoughts, feelings & emotions…
During that time I felt I could not share the situation with those who cared…I was already totally overwhelmed & could not deal with the emotions of others that I knew sharing would evoke.
But through that time a new growth to my faith occurred, as I knew deep down that I was not spiritually alone as the God of the universe has promised the following;
“I will never leave you, nor will I ever forsake you, so that we can confidently say, the Lord is my Helper, I will…[be brave]”
Hebrews 13:5-6
Trusting in the above promises gave me great courage…I sought His guidance & direction for the situation through much prayer & fasting…as the circumstance had become intolerable & was about to break me!
A major change was needed, something had to totally change for healing to begin!
God answered my prayers, a major change did occur...but it was not in the significant other…It was in me!
I came to realize, through His Word, pastoral advice & circumstances, that our Heavenly Father does not expect us to be in a situation that is destructive & toxic to our wellbeing…
I also came to realize that the patterns of behavior that had been & were being played out, solely belonged to this Other. For I had gone above & beyond, time & time again in my love & support for them through the years but they refused to acknowledge & accept both.
And finally, I realized...We can’t help those who don’t want help or acknowledge their need for help…
But we can take all the necessary steps to protect our own hearts, bodies, minds & spirits from their destructive behavior directed at us, that greatly impacts our life & the lives we are responsible for…
” Guard your heart [dear ones] for it is a wellspring of life…”
Proverbs 4:23
So, dear friend…Let me assure you that whatever situation you are facing you are never alone…As there is a mighty Heavenly Father who deeply loves & cares for you always…even when your thoughts, feelings & emotions may try to convince you otherwise!
You may enjoy reading the blessing I now have in Relationships…
Until next time…
Jennifer
• Copyright teawithjennifer.blog • All Rights Reserved • Photos by Pexels
Featured at Grace & Truth Linkup
I agree fully Jennifer, that we can feel alone even when busy and surrounded by people. I’m so glad you found the support and strength you needed for your life and happiness. Thank you for sharing. Marie xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am too 😀 Thank you Marie ♥
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a beautiful post about the pure love and faithfulness of our awesome God! Such a great read to start my day! Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your kind words, He is so faithful 😀
LikeLike
Jennifer, as always, a beautiful post. God’s beautiful promise that He will never leave us is such a comfort in those times when others (friends) do leave. You are such an encourager!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Pam, what a lovely kind thing to say! He is definitely a comfort ♥
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I was at the gym, the television was on and showed a graph about the extent of loneliness in various age groups in the U.S. Interestingly, to me, was how lonely young people are. Here they are in constant electronic contact with tons of “friends” and yet so alone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, apparently this generation though the most connected by digital means are socially the loneliest generation that has been recorded. Sad!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is such a shame. And they think they are connected. We underestimate how much is communicated face to face, particularly empathy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And human companionship 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true. We can feel alone even surrounded by people. We can feel no one loves us, understands us, part of a group, and isolated. Our thoughts play a large role in our feeling alone. Praying this article blesses those feeling alone.
Enjoyed the cuppa. And the fruit cake.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes our emotions can be a driving force behind our thoughts on all things…especially loneliness.
Glad you enjoyed your time here Theresa! 😀
LikeLike
I have also had a similar feeling of loneliness in the midst of a crowd. Thank you for the wonderful reminder that we are never alone. God is with us always. Blessings to you, Jennifer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome Laurie, yes He is our comfort in all things & situations 😀 Praise Him!
LikeLike
I agree, we can feel lonely even when we are surrounded by people. It can be the feeling that there is part of us we can’t share or that others won’t understand, and like you I have kept quiet at times because of the reactions I expected from others if I shared. The times of loneliness have definitely helped me grow though as feeling I couldn’t talk to others made me talk to God more and grow in my relationship with him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s comforting to realize that He is at our sides always & at times carrying us through the situations that cause us to feel lonely… Lovely having you drop by Lesley 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh so much grace and truth here, Jennifer! And this, right here –>’our Heavenly Father does not expect us to be in a situation that is destructive & toxic to our wellbeing…’
Oh so true.
What a powerful post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Linda, God’s grace is such a powerful comfort to us in the circumstances that lead us to cling to Him for His wisdom in the situation.
Lovely having you over for a cuppa. 😀
LikeLike
Loneliness is an epidemic in our world. Thank you for addressing it here–and blessings to you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it has become an epidemic in today’s world, very sadly but we are never truly alone & that is the hope we can impart to others 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great reminder that we are never truly alone if we have a relationship with Christ. And that there are times when we need something different than human companionship. Jesus’ care can be even more helpful as He teaches us and grows us in some of the hardest of times. He’s gotten you through so much–thanks for sharing your relationship with us!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely & it’s a pleasure.
LikeLike
I love this post, Jennifer. We must have that direct link to Jesus if we are to overcome any issue such as loneliness. And it’s also amazing how much toxic relationships impact our lives in such a negative way. I’ve chosen your post as my Grace & Truth feature this week. Please pop by my site tomorrow to get the “I Was Featured” button!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, thank you Aimee! What a privilege! 😀
LikeLike