Lonely. Usually, I am a fairly content person. I can enjoy being around people as much as I can enjoy being alone. But lately. . . I feel lonely. What brought on this bought of loneliness? A person actually. Or maybe it's more the ideal of what the person represents. As a single in my thirties, I still haven't outgrown the longing for a deep romantic relationship. One that involves understanding, commitment, laughter, children, and joy. In my mind, I know that marriage doesn't guarantee any of these things but in my heart I hope that I will have all of these. In the meantime, I wonder why I haven't met The Right Guy? As I googled "How to Overcome Loneliness", an interesting article popped up by a single man, Jack Zavada. I hope he won't mind me sharing his thought. He talked about what he prayed for and how he wishes he had prayed differently when he was younger. Instead of praying away his loneliness, he wishes he would have prayed for courage: courage to overcome rejection and not to be bitter, courage to reach out to other people, and courage to assign loneliness a lesser role in his life.
When I don't think that I am missing something special, I don't feel lonely. It's when I think that I'm missing out on something wonderful that I feel lonely. So, the fix for loneliness? For me, it's to remember what I have and pour out my gratitude to the Lord. Yes, I have been made for relationships but sometimes I forget the ones that I can enjoy because of my longing for the one I do not yet know. Will I stop praying for a spouse? No, Genesis 2:18 says "The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." I'm looking forward to that day when I meet the man that I'm a "helper suitable for". In the meantime, I'm going to taste and enjoy each day with joy, courage and thanksgiving.
Psalm 139:17 - How precious are your thoughts about me, O God!
