Anne Hathaway
I've always had a huge fear of dying or becoming ill. The thing I'm most afraid of, though, is being alone, which I think a lot of performers fear. It's why we seek the limelight - so we're not alone, were adored. We're loved, so people want to be around us. The fear of being alone drives my life.
Jennifer Lopez
What is it about being or feeling alone that affects people so much? It's like we're created with this innate desire for fellowship with others. God didn't create Eve simply to initiate the world's population. Eve was Adam's companion. Even with animals and the perfect natural setting, Adam was still in need of company. And God knew that, of course. And so He provided.
And so it is with us today. God knows our need for relationship. That is why He brings people into our lives. Some arrive in a subtle way, and others are obviously heaven-sent.
There was a time when I sought out to see a counselor to help me cope with some major hurts. I don't really remember how I heard of this one place, but I called and set up an appointment for consultation with a lady that went by the name of Jesse. At first, I was very nervous and anxious about how this was going to be helpful. But after my first and second visit, I became eager for my visits with Jesse. I never missed an appointment, and was blessed each time I was there. Jesse's fees were extremely low, and she'd not only give me sound advice and pray with me, but she'd give me material for me to take home for free. We'd spend an hour talking, and I felt such peace and sincere concern from Jesse. I was soon convinced that she was not a real person but an angel that God had placed in my life for such a time. I'm still wondering.
Okay, I know that sounds really weird, and you're probably not sure what that has to do with the topic. Well, I believe that God will go to the extent of sending angels to accompany us just so that we understand His love for us and His promise that "we are not alone".
Lately, it's become almost a theme for me personally, since God keeps reminding me that I am not alone. Which lead me to the question... "what is it about being or feeling alone...?" Why is it so difficult to handle for most of us? Consider Facebook for a minute. What's the purpose of it, but to keep people connected. And people want to stay connected. People want to be included. Nobody wants to be left out, and everyone wants to belong. People want to be heard and considered. And so in my eyes, Facebook serves the purpose of reminding people that they are not alone. I'm sure that's why it's become such a popular thing and a lifeline for many.
The problem is that feeling lonely can create in us a mental fog that leads us to believe that we truly are alone. However, spiritually speaking, and if we are children of God, we are never alone. That is a promise from God that can be found in numerous scripture verses reminding us that we are never alone. The fact is that we may feel alone and physically be alone but God is ever present and omnipresent and as His children, He is always by our side. Last night I was listening to a podcast sermon when I heard the preacher say that he's fed up with Christians praying these words, "Dear Lord, please be with so & so, and please be with me, and be with this person and that person". His point was that we shouldn't be asking God to be with us because HE ALREADY IS. God is with us. God is with us. God is with us. And when we truly begin to comprehend what that means, we no longer feel alone and we begin to experience a sense of peace and fulfillment. The kind of fulfillment many of us are seeking out in Facebook, and the kind of fulfillment we cannot even yet imagined.
Another reminder came from another sermon in which I heard that "God whispers because He is near." When you hear that still voice within you drawing you to Him, leading you into the right decision, and so on, God is near. That's why he's whispering. God has not left you. He is not far. He is near, and you are not alone.
My last example comes from something my eight year old said today. She told me that she thinks it's funny how people say things like "way up in the sky" or "as high as the sky", as if the sky is so far above us that we cannot reach it. She went on to say that she feels like the air IS the sky and that she can easily touch it by simply extending her arms up. I thought that was kind of weird and silly in a way. But now that I think about it, that is perfect! Because if God is in the sky, and the I can touch the sky, then God is very near. And I am not alone.
2ndCorinthians 13:11 "Finally, brothers, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you."
Hebrews 13:5b "... for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you'."
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