When you feel lonely, how can you turn to God for help?
Fortunately or perhaps unfortunately, this one is easier for me. In his reflection on this question Bishop Tom comments that everyone feels this way and when he was younger he would try to fill that void, but he found that this approach did not work. His approach now is to honestly tell God what we are experiencing through prayer, be honest in what we ask for, and be open to how God responds to our prayers, even when it is not how we thought or wanted it to happen. I offer his thoughts because my experiences are similar. I too have felt loneliness, and perhaps more than my fair share, and certainly more than I would have liked. I too tried to fill that void, which did not help at all. Instead it was destructive and unhealthy. But, I found that when I was honest in my prayers to God, honest in my pleas, in my prayers for help, in my tears, that made me feel better more than anything else. I too also realized that God did not answer my prayers in the ways that I wanted, but as I look back I can see clearly God's hand at work in my life. Even though I have my ups and downs, loneliness no longer has the last word...love does.
Lord, help me to be open to realizing the people that surround me with love; help me to see that I am not alone, even when I am alone. Amen.
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