Loneliness..........

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?"
Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

The Needs........:
 "I hurt deep down in the pit of my stomach, my arms and my shoulders ache to be held tight . . . to be told that I am really loved solely for:  ONLY who I am.... not for what I can provide..... "

"Deep within each of us is the hunger for contact, acceptance, belonging, intimate exchange, responsiveness, support, love, and the touch of tenderness, we experience loneliness because these hungers are not always fed."

- A child feels lonely when his parents are too busy for him. 
But to whom can he turn.......? 
- The adolescent feels lonely when he feels misunderstood by his parents......
-  A mother of small children feels lonely when she is too busy to have her own needs for companionship met......
- When married couples cannot communicate effectively, especially with their feelings, loneliness can cut deeply.....
- When one loses a loved one through death or divorce or is isolated through illness, he or she feels incredibly lonely.....
- The elderly, who are often cut off from their families and whose friends have passed away, know the bitterness of loneliness.......
- People who feel inadequate are often lonely....
 Because they don't like themselves, they think others don't like them either, so they tend to withdraw, at least emotionally, from other people....
- Hidden hostility is a cause for loneliness. 
The hostile person is angry at people so he prevents them from getting too close through his negative attitude.
- Fear—fear of getting hurt, fear of rejection, fear of not measuring up, fear of losing a loved one, fear of failure......


What is  YOUR reason............. for being lonely ..?

One day I dug a little hole

And put my hurt inside

I thought that I could just forget

I'd put it there to hide.

But that little hurt began to grow

I covered it every day

I couldn't leave it and go on

It seemed the price I had to pay.

My joy was gone, my heart was sad

Pain was all I knew.

My wounded soul enveloped me

Loving seemed too hard to do.

One day, while standing by my hole

I cried to God above

And said, "If You are really there --

They say, You're a God of Love!"

And just like that -- He was right there

And just put His arms around me

He wiped my tears, His hurting child

There was no safer place to be.

I told Him all about my hurt

I opened up my heart

He listened to each and every word

To every sordid part.

I dug down deep and got my hurt

I brushed the dirt away

And placed it in the Master's hand

And healing came that day.

He took the blackness of my soul

And set my spirit FREE!

Something beautiful began to grow

Where the hurt used to be.

And when I look at what has grown

Out of my tears and pain

I remember every day to give my hurts to Him

And never bury them again...

Consideration........
Ask God, when you are feeling lonely...........
...to help you to find a loving church/group where you can discover:
- a sense of belonging and 
- feel that you are contributing something worthwhile to others..... ( & forget for the moment, at least, -about yourself.)
 Thank Him, 
-for hearing and answering your prayer.........in Advance &  Gratefully, in Jesus' NAME !


Shalom