Ge 2:18 ¶ And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
In going to Sunday morning service today, the pastor talked about breaking the out of the prison of loneliness. I could really relate to this message, and there were a few thoughts that really stood out to me.
He talked about loneliness, and gave what I thought was a great definition. He states that loneliness is the absence of or the intense longing for the companionship of people who really care for us and who long to be with us as much as we long to be with them.
Using his definition one can experience this in the multitude. Loneliness is so undesirable, so contrary to the design of God, and so powerful a state that needs to be filled. That even after God had created Adam, had given him a purpose, and placed him in an idealic environment where every material need could be satisfied he still lacked one thing to make his life complete—companionship.
It shows me that no matter what we gain in the world. No matter how wealthy we become. Our innate need for companionship is basic to who we are. I learned from today’s lesson that solitary confinement which we have all heard of; is used as a punishment. Now there is nothing new here, but think about that for a bit, and let that sink in. Loneliness even within the prison system is used as a punishment. Being alone, in isolation, lacking the comfort from a person who cares for you as much as you care for them, and who wants to be with you— is to be in a prison. Think about that.
I now have a better understanding of such scriptures that say blessed are the peacemakers. Peacemakers help reconcile people. They fight against the trend that increases loneliness. Broken families increases loneliness, our living arrangements (suburban living I’m speaking of here.) can increase isolation and loneliness. We plug our ears, and check into our iphones so we are not bothered, increasing our isolation. Speaking of trends, one of the internets powerful abilities is its ability to help create community. Often people do not understand how someone can spend hours online talking with people. It is because so many of us are lonely. Lonely in marriages, at work, in our various communities, and comes a technology that allows people to ‘connect’ with someone of like passions and who looks forward to seeing them when they come online. It is easy once we understand how deep loneliness can be how many of can of us can fall victim to such entrapments, or on a positive note find companionship.
The pastor talked about how to circumvent this with natural remedies, build relationships with new people, family and friends. I do not want to “repreach” his message. Of course, the ultimate cure of the deep longing of our hearts is reconciliation with God, to connect with him and thereby empowering us to truly connect with others.
The forbidden fruit is nothing more than knowledge that we were not meant to experience. Some fruit is vey tart and bitter. Let not loneliness be something that prevents you from reconnecting with God, family, and friends. Ask yourself who can you be a friend too to decrease the level of loneliness in their lives. Which family members, which friend, can you reach out to? If you realize you are alone. Reach out to God, and ask him to reconnect with him, and then begin to make reconnections and new connections. Above all, I encourage you to not let the darkness be your best friend.
D
DonovanDonovan M. Neal is the Amazon best-selling independently published author of the Third Heaven Series: a speculative Christian fantasy four book series that explores the captivating story about the fall of Lucifer. The book takes readers on an epic journey through the celestial realms, offering a unique perspective on the events surrounding Lucifer’s rebellion and his descent into darkness. In this imaginative tale, Donovan weaves together elements of Christian theology, angelic mythology, and fantastical world-building. The story delves into the cosmic conflict between good and evil, painting a vivid picture of the spiritual warfare that unfolded in the heavens. Donovan has published eleven books and is currently working on publishing five more in the year 2023 alone. His books have reached thirteen countries including India, Japan, the Philippines, Mexico, Brazil and across Europe, Canada and the US. He has sold over thirty thousand units of his books and generated over a quarter million in gross sales part time and without an agent. Donovan has produced fiction; non-fiction and most recently published a graphic novel. His genre of preference is fantasy and he has been named among such notable authors as Frank Perretti, Brian Godawa, and the late Dr. Michael S. Heiser. When he’s not writing or working, Donovan can be found gaming or enjoying various forms of media. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and a graduate degree in Non-profit Management from Walden University. Prior to his current career, Donovan served in ordained ministry from 1993-2011 and has extensive experience teaching the Bible. You can learn more about him professionally if you would like by clicking here. His favorite movie is the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. He also enjoys gaming and can be found on the Playstation5 deep in Destiny 2, He’s owned most gaming systems all the way back from Atari and Pong! and has made several friends from his beloved days on World of Warcraft. A lover of such classics as chess and backgammon he loves most games and the strategy behind them. When he is not imagining comic conflicts between good and evil he is helping to secure employment for housing insecure women as the Executive Director of a non-profit in the city of Detroit and also serves in the prayer and discipleship ministry of his local church.
