Loneliness is feeling alone, isolated, helpless, and cut off from others. Biblically dealing with loneliness requires focusing on our relationship with God, our Christian community, and serving others. Only a genuine relationship with Jesus cures loneliness. 

00:00 – Introduction

1:04 – LONELINESS IS FEELING ALONE, ISOLATED, HELPLESS, AND CUT OFF FROM OTHERS. 

Everyone feels lonely at some point in their lives. GOD CREATED HUMANS IN HIS IMAGE AND TO BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND OTHER HUMANS.

1:40 – SYMPTOMS: Loneliness is marked by sadness, longing, and a yearning to be with someone. CAN LEAD TO: Anger, irritability, clinical depression, and suicidal feelings.

2:38 – LONELINESS IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING ALONE. A PERSON CAN BE ALONE WITHOUT BEING LONELY OR FEEL LONELY IN A CROWDED ROOM. FEELINGS OF LONELINESS CAN LEAD TO TEMPTATIONS. 

4:50 – SOLITUDE REDUCES THE “NOISE” AND BUSYNESS OF LIFE. SOLITUDE CLARIFIES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND NOURISHES OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE.

6:34 – SEVERAL GROUPS ARE AT RISK FOR LONELINESS: teenagers, single adults, moving to a new community or job, single parents, divorced, or stay-at-home moms with small children, people with disabilities or long-term illnesses, older adults

10:20 – WHAT ARE SOME WRONG WAYS OF DEALING WITH LONELINESS?

“Self-medicating” through: Sexual sin, purchasing “things” to give yourself an emotional lift, substance abuse

13:41 – HOW CAN WE HANDLE LONELINESS BIBLICALLY? JESUS UNDERSTANDS OUR FEELINGS OF LONELINESS (HEB. 4:15). On the cross, Jesus felt the ultimate loneliness: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). Because of Jesus’ death, we can experience a relationship with God through the indwelling Holy Spirit! 

15:48 – CAN ANY GOOD COME OUT OF OUR LONELINESS? LONELINESS FORCES US TO HAVE AN UTTER DEPENDENCY ON GOD FOR EVERYTHING. Corrie Ten Boom wrote, “You can never learn that Christ is all you need until Christ is all you have.”

17:33 – HOW CAN WE DEAL WITH LONELINESS BIBLICALLY? FOCUS ON 3 RELATIONSHIPS:

18:38 – 1. GOD: through prayer and Scripture

19:54 – 2. COMMUNITY: God made you for intimacy with other humans and a need to feel like you belong somewhere. 

21:18 – 3. SERVING: Re-channels your self-focus onto others.

23:30 – MAKE A PLAN: Planning is helpful if you see times you know you will be lonely. 

24:48 – SO WHAT? PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS:

– EMBRACE YOUR LONELINESS AS AN ELEMENT OF YOUR SPIRITUAL MATURITY

– CONCENTRATE ON TODAY

– Whatever the cause of loneliness, for the Christian, the cure is always the same—the comforting fellowship of Christ.

28:36 – NEXT STEP: MAKE A PLAN!

29:38 – Thank you and wrap up.