Loneliness.
Jesus understood it. He not only understood it, he experienced it. He knew the feeling of being left by his dearest friends. He felt the pain of being betrayed by the ones He loved. He lived the reality of being disowned and rejected, and of being left alone.
When looking at the passion of Christ, we tend to focus on the physical suffering that he went through, so much so that we forget the emotional journey that He experienced. But the emotional turmoil that He took on is an important reality to consider- because there is a component to it that many of us go through each and every single day.
The reality of living as a man exposed Jesus to the brokenness of humanity- and in turn, the brokenness of the people He loved the most. There’s no getting around it. People let Him down.
Maybe you can relate. Maybe you, too, know the sting of rejection and the pain of abandonment, the despair of injustice. Maybe the word loneliness holds a place in your life that you never imagined it could. Find comfort in two things.
First, find comfort in the truth that the God of all creation allowed Himself to go through what you are going through. Find comfort in knowing that when you are hurting, alone, and afraid- he has been there too. He gets it. He hurts with you because He has felt what you feel.
Second, find comfort in knowing that when everyone and everything fails and you find yourself all alone…you are not. You will never be. To the depth that you are able to feel loneliness, He is able to give you companionship. To the deepest part of that hole you feel in your heart, He is able to fill it up. You are not alone, because your Father God is right by your side. You may not always feel it, and so it may be hard to believe it, but you must never allow your feelings to dictate your reality.
“And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”
Reflect on this truth. Allow it to sink into your heart. And take heart in the truth that you are never, ever alone.
Debra is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in dating, marriage, and relationship issues, along with a spectrum of mental health disorders and issues. She’s the author of True Love Dates, Choosing Marriage, Love in Every Season, Are You Really Ok?, and Married Sex. She’s also the host of the Love + Relationships Podcast, a hotline-style show where people call in to get their relationship questions answered!
Her popular relationship advice blog TrueLoveDates.com reaches millions of people each year with the message of healthy relationships! Connect with her on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter!
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