“Surely I’m with
you always, to the very end of time." ~ Matthew 28:20
Andee (28) lost her husband in a terrible accident. So, loneliness was something she’d come to know pretty well.
She didn’t admit that to elicit sympathy, but more as simply
a matter of fact. In reality, she
enjoyed a wonderful life with her infant daughter, but she often thought about
what it would be like to watch a movie on the couch with her husband rather
than alone.
At first, single life was panic attacks and crushing
solitude. It felt shameful - like
failure and rejection. Almost as if
society had labeled her ‘defective.’ Now
after three years, and with the help of her church’s “Singles Mingle,” Andee
was finding a calmer, more peaceful center.
The universe had gifted her time to heal and there was a fresh
perspective.
Tonight, at the bi-monthly Singles discussion group,
something escaped from her mouth, that had never crossed her mind before – at
least consciously.
On the drive home, she reflected on her startling comment.
The craziest part of those words? She
meant them. Andee felt them deep within
her soul.
Her mind flashed back to points
of deepest loneliness and she didn’t actually think of herself as alone. Instead, she thought of how deeply she came to
know God in those sacred moments.
Lonely feelings transformed into confident contentment with
solitude. Failures became a chance to
learn new ways of living and behaving. Shame
was a label she dismissed because it never fit.
The next day, Andee got a text from a woman who’d been in
the group the previous night. She said, “Thought
about last night: l-ONE-ly ... the root word is ONE (instead of lone!) When we’re lonely, it gives us the opportunity
to be ONE with ourselves and with our Heavenly Father.”
“It provides an opportunity to realign ourselves with our
Savior’s plan for us. It gives us a
chance to slow down and think about what we can do better in following Him. What a blessing! From now on, I’ll look at being lonely in a
whole different way!”
Andee thought about her late husband - the best relationship
to date in her life. It’d been cherished
because of the time spent one-on-one, in deep conversation, and working through
hard things together.
The same is true for God. It’s by spending time alone with Him,
communicating in stillness, and going through hard times together that she’d
come to count Him as her dearest friend.
Loving God, thank You for never forgetting
us in the midst of our pain and struggle. Forgive us for doubting You. We set our eyes on You today, choosing joy and
peace when the whispered lies suggest that we should have neither. Amen
