Never Alone: Unpack Loneliness and Revitalize Your HeartSample

Devotional

Matthew 28:20 tells us, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” As we delve into the topic of loneliness, I fervently hope you begin to realize that He is with us in and through everything.

Finding connections is an important part of navigating and triumphing over loneliness. According to a meta-analysis by Julianne Holt-Lunstad and colleagues at Brigham Young University, low social interaction was likened to smoking fifteen cigarettes daily and being more harmful than not exercising. Holy smokes. Pun intended.

This revelation isn’t anything new, though. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we see social connection referenced and its importance labeled “love and belongingness.” The bonding hormone we feel when we are connecting to our loved ones does a whole bunch of pretty epic things. It combats the nasty hormones we experience during anxiety or depression and pairs up with serotonin (think mood regulation) and dopamine, which is known as the pleasure hormone.

We’ve been hardwired as human beings to connect to others, and it’s been proven through endless research (and God’s infinite wisdom, of course) that without connection, life isn’t very fun. And in fact, we all suffer. Physically, emotionally—and spiritually.

If human connections have been proven to scientifically begin with happy hormones and like-mindedness, we should always be able to find that sense of belonging in God. Without fail, He will carry us through because our loving connection with Him is always present. Though many beautiful stories show evidence of this phenomenon throughout our Bible, we see the majestic power of God’s promise of “belonging” or “connection” unfold on those long crossroads between Moab and Judah with Naomi.

Through Ruth—and God, of course—Naomi was pulled from her bitter and broken pit of loneliness to the realization that she was never alone. And neither are you, sweet friend. Because where you go . . . so does your beautiful and unbreakable connection to God. As you continue unpacking your loneliness story, connect the dots from what you’ve gleaned through your readings the past few days. But I promise it’ll all be worth it in the end!

How do you find connections? What are your obstacles? I encourage you to write it down and think of at least one or two ways to combat the challenge before you. Nothing is impossible! Spend some time in James 1:2–6. Sometimes I think we profess our faith in Him and His plan but still harbor seeds of doubt in the exact unfolding of the plan. James reminds us that one who continually doubts is “like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” Be a strong ship in those seas, filled with unsinkable faith.