By Jennie Allen
Read by Andi and Brian Hale
Loneliness. Do you feel it too? That sinking feeling that you aren’t seen, you aren’t known, and you are on your own to face whatever difficult thing life is throwing at you. Do you ever wonder if maybe you’re the only person who feels this alone? You aren’t, by the way.
You aren’t alone in feeling alone.
I struggle with loneliness more than I like to admit. I’m not good at being needy. I’m needy, just not good at admitting it. And that has consistently damaged my relationships.
I’ve hurt people.
They’ve hurt me.
I have failed my friends. Some have forgiven me, and some have walked away. While I’m doing better than I used to, I’m far from perfect in this area. And yet I’m going to keep working at it. Because the more I look into the why of our neediness and the problem of our loneliness, the more convinced I am that at our core we are made to be fully known and fully loved. Loved and known regularly and over time by family members, close friends, mentors, coworkers. God built us for deep connection to be part of our day-in, day-out lives, not just once in a while in the presence of a paid therapist.
In fact, God existed in a relationship with Himself before any of us were here. It’s called the Trinity. God is one, and God is three.
Scripture says that the Son exists to glorify the Father and that the Father exists to glorify the Son. It says that the Spirit exists to glorify them both. (See John 16-17.) What that means is that they help each other, they promote each other, they serve each other, and they love each other. What’s more, this exchange has been going on for all eternity.
It means that our God has been relational forever. It means that He created us out of a relationship for a relationship—and not a relationship that is surface level or self-seeking. No, the relationship He has in mind for us is a sacrificial, intimate, moment-by-moment connection.
Relational. It’s who we are because it’s who God is.
God, I need You! And I need others around me. You created me for You and You created me for relationships. What connections are you calling me to today? Amen.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
GENESIS 1:1-2And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
JOHN 17:5The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
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