I've been listening to Dave Hunt's "Until That Day" cd, and there is a song on it that resonates with me.
It's called "Lonely", and the words are as follows.
It's called "Lonely", and the words are as follows.
Your stars above me
Reach out to hold me
Your waves are singing me to sleep
And in the stillness, you say you
love me
Within the whispers of your breeze.
But I'm so lonely, I'm so lonely, I'm so lonely
I know you're with me
You never leave me
I know you're right here by my
side
I know what I know
Should make me happy
But I can't convince
myself tonight
'Cause I'm so lonely, I'm so lonely, I'm so
lonely.....
Why is it that we can have a deep, intimate relationship with God, and yet still feel so lonely? Why--if God is the "fullness of Him who fills everything in every way" do we still need human connection so much?
Why is it so difficult to make those true friendships, especially in Christian circles? It seems like we can be surrounded by people, yet never get past the plastic facades. Even in family relationships, there are barriers to intimacy.
Is it just that we are a broken people, and will never be whole until we get to heaven? Is it just that we are "not of this world", and that need for community will never be satisfied until we are with Him? Why do we still struggle so much with loneliness........?
6 comments:
One reason is that we'e not cloisetered monks or nuns. We're people whose work is among other people.
It's hard to let your light shine before men when there's no one else around. I think it's nice that He built that into us, then.
I know of no passages in the bible where Jesus wanted to be alone, other than withdrawing for a season to be with His Father.
Oh yes .. it's indicative that you get along well with people, too. I know some folks who'd rather not see any other human beeeens at all.
I believe we were made for other people (community). Look at the creation story. At the end of each day God surveyed his work and said, "It is good." However, before the fall ever occurred God looked over all that he had made and had this to say: "It is not good that man should be alone."
"It is not good." Adam had a perfect earth, work that required no sweat and unhindered communion with God himself, and yet God says, "It is not good that man should be alone."
Lonliness. It is still not good that man/woman should be alone.
Bob and Paul,
You both make great points as to why we have that need for community.
I just wish it was a little easier to find. : )
I think everything in creation points toward our need to have relationships, and of course the most important relationship we will ever have is with Jesus Christ himself. I find that I'm most lonely when I do not give Him time to work in me, when I do not spend time praying and meditating on scripture. Yet, it seems that the more I DO allow Him in, the more I want of Him.
I heard a sermon recently on the radio, I think it was Tony Evans. He said that all we ever need is always there - all the relationship, all the power. We just don't have the capacity to handle it. And, the only way to increase our capacity is through allowing God to do so, not of our own works (lest any man should boast). So, it almost creates a paradoxical impossibility. The only way to be full is to be in Christ, yet the only way to do that is to relinquish our grip on this world. Yet we must be in the world in order to be of any good to Christ or others. So, I think it's a cyclical event that will only have an end when we are completely experiencing the fullness of Christ, which will not come on this earth. So, I think you're really "right on" with your original comments/questioning.
Your post has ministered to me, although I realize you are asking questions in it! As a single woman, it is important for me to know that married women also are confronted with loneliness.
As much as I am open with a couple of very good friends, there is still an element of wanting to be known deeper and further. And, as much as I have a heart-belief that Jesus knows me the most intimately and the best, there's still a desire to be understood by those who are physically present.
It's a mystery.
Sorry - I meant to add this too before posting.
I think that the tighter the community I am in, the more "exposed" and open I am and the less lonely I am. I served overseas, and that was a less-lonely season, I think, because of the close community of workers, struggling together in a common task of being obedient to the Lord and ministering to a resistant people. We worked, ministered, ate, prayed, traveled together and that broke down many walls. I realize that the overseas part is not what made it so. It is more that it was a season of being much more aware of my dependency on others.
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