Wisdom for FriendshipsSample

The Fight Against Loneliness

Loneliness is a common experience in today’s world. We can be surrounded by people—family, coworkers, neighbors—and still feel a lack of connection. Because being around others is not the same as being known and feeling like we belong.

If you aren’t currently lonely, it’s probably a feeling you’re familiar with from a previous season of life. But why do we feel this way, and is there something we can do about it?

From the very beginning of time, people were designed to live in community with others. As God was creating the entire universe in stages, He declared that each new addition was “good.” What was the first thing that God said was “not good”? We find out in Genesis 2:

The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18 NIV

The very first thing God declared as “not good” was for humans to be alone. Even God Himself is a community: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God cares deeply about relationships because He knows how powerful and life changing it is to be surrounded by the right people—and how dangerous it can be if we’re alone.

This is modeled throughout the Bible. For example, in Acts 2, we see how the early church was positively influenced by healthy relationships with one another. At the time, “church” wasn’t necessarily a building—it was a group of individuals who believed in Jesus and lived their lives as a reflection of what He had done for them:

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47 NIV

These were ordinary people who chose to prioritize friendships. And when they did, they experienced joy, connection, belonging, accountability, encouragement, and so much more. This is why community is important—because we were designed for one another. Finding and building strong relationships is a part of what it means to follow Jesus.

Tomorrow, we’ll learn more about how we can invest in and build relationships with the people around us.

Pray: Dear God, thank You for loving me and being with me. Please remind me that You designed me to be in community with others—sharing my life with them. Help me in my fight against loneliness. In Jesus’ name, amen.