Loneliness is an all too common problem, especially for those of us on the Christian path. Has loneliness become an issue in your life? You can overcome loneliness with TRUTH.

It’s easier than you might think.
 

There you are again … alone. Nothing much to do. No one to talk to. No one to share life with. You sigh --- heavily --- and the emotions start immediately rushing in. Oh yeah, great, you can count on these emotions to come to help you feel overwhelmed! …

Yep, you have a whole gang of emotional friends. True blue, too … reliable as the day is long … always there when ya need ’em to help you feel lonely! They’ve got a lot in common, too. That’s why they all get along so well together. Let’s go get up close and personal with these emotions related to loneliness.

Loneliness is a horrible feeling. Nobody wants to feel lonely. BUT ... Did ya know it is a conscious choice we make for our lives, like some habits may be. Sometimes it seems like loneliness is forced upon us. But that is not TRUTH ... We CHOOSE to entertain the thoughts.

When we do invite these emotions in, it becomes a real problem. And it can cause other problems in your life too … overeating, drinking, drug abuse, etc., etc., etc., … ugh. Then we get all worried about these new habits.

Do you just wish there was someone … anyone … that you could trust in, that would always be there? Wish you had a companion to talk to whenever you want to talk, or even if you didn’t want to talk … someone who would still want your company? Need someone who appreciates you for who you are … nothing more … nothing less?

Being alone doesn’t mean you have to be lonely. Did you know that loneliness is really caused by lack of understanding? We’ll look deeper into that in just a minute.

Now, I’m sure Sullen Sylvester is whispering a couple of things in your ear right now, so let’s just put his ideas to rest, right from the start. Sylvester says, Man wasn’t intended to be alone.

God created Eve to help man not be alone.

Well, we all saw how that turned out. I’m certain all was just peachy with God’s plan … until the devil came along, and then … oh, you know the story. So, when the devil introduced sin into the world, God’s intention didn’t change, but man’s ability to carry out His intention in all happiness changed. If it wasn’t for the devil, we’d all have our perfect companions, living in a perfect world of bliss.

But alas ... It didn't turn out that way.

Then there’s Solomon, the wisest man to ever live.

Note the word “man” as in hu‘man’.

Wisdom, he had … infallibility, he didn’t.

Now let’s take a look at Solomon’s track record, shall we? Although Solomon had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines, they turned away his heart to idolatry.

So, Solomon says that one upright person is extremely hard to find.

So, what happened to God’s good intention of man not being alone? Well, we’ve gotten things a little confused in this matter. We search for the perfect companion in our lives, but we look for someone who is perfect in the flesh, and my friend, THAT is where the problem comes in. We have been taught to seek TEMPORAL relationships based on flesh.

Being that all scripture is inspired by God.
 

I’d like to change gears now, because we could talk about your friends … The Un-dynamic Dozen … until the cows come home, but it appears that what you need is a new group of emotional friends!

I’d like to introduce you to a different group of friends.

Let’s call them …

The Fantastic Four.
 

If you’re lonely, comfort is what you’re really seeking, so take a look at the name that Jesus used for the Holy Spirit:

I asked you these questions a moment ago. Do you just wish there was someone … anyone … that you could trust would always be there? Wish you had a companion to talk to whenever you want to talk, or even if you didn’t want to talk … someone who would still want your company? Need someone who appreciates you for who you are … nothing more … nothing less?

The Holy Spirit is one of the companions you’re looking for.

You’ve heard about the Holy Spirit, but chances are, you don’t understand Him, and that’s because you’ve never gotten to know Him. It’s almost as if we’re not sure if He’s really there or not. He’s not like an imaginary vapor that floats around … He’s real! Do you ever acknowledge His presence? Did you know that doing so could cure your loneliness?

Have you ever known a child who had an invisible friend? Have you ever seen such Faith? There’s a big difference between being childish and being AS a child. Being childish is being ignorant, or without TRUTH, however, being AS a child is being innocent and readily accepting of the TRUTH with an open heart. As adults, we know that imaginary friends are just that … imaginary, but even though the Holy Spirit is invisible, He is not imaginary, He is real!

Sooooo, how do you build a relationship with the Holy Spirit? How does one get to know Him? He already knows you, so there’s no need to feel uncomfortable at first. The first thing you need to do, is invite Him, because He is a gentleman, and He won’t respond without knowing He’s welcome. Like you, He doesn’t like to be ignored … He has feelings too, and it makes Him feel … lonely.

Have a cup of coffee with the Holy Spirit. Make a chair available for Him. What do you talk about with a friend over coffee? He IS your friend, talk to Him about everyday life things. Read Him the newspaper article you’re reading. Watch movies with Him. Tell Him your thoughts about it. Tell Him about your day ahead. Ask Him to accompany you to, and at work. Become aware of His presence. If you have to take your mind off of Him to do your work, He understands, just like any friend would, but in your mind, know He’s there. Invite Him with you on your way home from work. Start planning to do things together. Ask Him to read the Bible with you every night. Ask Him to open your heart to understanding the Bible better.

Our minds are always thinking of something. We are constantly thinking to ourselves. Have you ever tried to think of nothing? It’s impossible. So, what if you started directing your thoughts to the Holy Spirit? What if, in your mind, instead of just thinking random thoughts to yourself, you told them to the Holy Spirit? Ask Him to guide your thoughts and ideas, and help you with answers to questions that you have about anything. If you dedicate your thoughts to Him, and by being aware that He is present with you, you’re showing your Faith and trust in Him, which is the foundation of friendship. Watch your loneliness begin to disappear. In fact, watch a lot of things in your life start to work out better.

A friend is also someone who listens. Open your heart and listen to the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to speak to you. Have real conversations with Him.

He talks to you through the Bible. If you have a question, ask God, in Jesus’ name, by way of the Holy Spirit to reveal the answer. Close your eyes, then open your Bible to any page and point your finger without looking, then open your eyes and read.

TRY THIS AND YOU WILL SEE TRUTH.

DOES THIS PROCEDURE SOUND STRANGE?

BELIEVE TO RECEIVE

He’ll guide you in discerning His answer. He talks through other people to give us insight as well. Sometimes we fail to recognize the Holy Spirit speaking to us in the flicker of a light bulb, goose bumps, brainstorms, a child’s smile, the words of a song … there are all kinds of ways that the Holy Spirit will and does speak to you. How did the Spirit of God speak to the people in the Bible? Through thunder, lightning, casting lots, scripture, prophets, a still small voice … open your mind to Him, allow Him in.

The Holy Spirit lives inside of you.

He’s everywhere and knows everything … He IS God’s Spirit. It’s not ridiculous to imagine that He is with you whether you’re preparing your dinner, out fishing, tucking in the toddler, watching the news, photographing wildflowers, cleaning the garage, during a sleepless night, or anytime and anywhere you invite Him.

There’s something important to know about the Holy Spirit. If you start to entertain anything unrighteous (thoughts, people, ungodly television shows, reading material, music, etc.), you’ll find that the Holy Spirit won’t stick around for that. Any friend who didn’t agree with something that you’re doing, would do the same. By doing such things, you’re inviting evil and The Un-dynamic Dozen to drop on by and you give them the opportunity to lure you into things that cause loneliness. You won’t find the Holy Spirit in that kind of company.
HE WILL LEAVE.
 

The Holy Spirit always has time for you. He never puts you on hold, or refuses an invitation. He’s never late and your opinion counts to Him. He’s always eager to hear your point of view, and will guide you in the right direction if you’re on the wrong path. He’s the best friend you’ll ever have. He wants to be with you every possible moment that He can be. The Holy Spirit loves you more than you can imagine. Did you know that He’s there when you wake up in the morning waiting for you to include Him in your life? Say Good Morning to Him, first thing, and watch your life improve. If your best friend was with you, and you got up and brushed your teeth and got ready for work, and never said Good Morning, would they be hurt? Call Him by name … say, Good Morning Holy Spirit! Make it a habit to say Good Morning to the Holy Spirit every day before you speak a word to anyone else.

Once you start establishing your relationship with the Holy Spirit, you’ll find that you can’t wait for time alone to be with Him. If you miss having coffee with Him one morning, you’ll feel disappointed, not out of guilt or obligation, but out of sincere desire just to be with Him. Bet ya never thought you’d ever be anxious to have time “alone” did ya? Be careful not to disregard your human friends and family once you get to know the Holy Spirit. He lives in them too, they probably just don’t know it … yet. He also works through them to influence your life, but also be aware that evil works through people to influence others too.

I’ve got some more good news for your lonely heart. You can build the same kind of relationship with God, Jesus, and your Guardian Angel. They all have different personalities, and soon you’ll get to know them all, personally. Now that you understand you’re never alone, you’ve got another problem … Who are you gonna invite? Why not invite them all at once, and have a little party?

If you discovered this study, perhaps the Holy Spirit led you here ...
I urge you to visit the ...

Put your loneliness behind you. It’s also a fantastic way to spend time with The Fantastic Four. God bless you.