YOU ARE NOT ALONE | BY STACY SURRATT

One of my favorite times of the year is in the summer, when I can sit on my back deck of my cabin at the lake, early on a Saturday morning – drinking my coffee – and being alone. I hear birds singing, the waves lapping gently, and I am at peace. But am I REALLY ALONE? – NO. Nearby, my neighbors are waking up, a boat full of fisherman float by trying to catch a big fish, there’s a random car coming down the dirt road and my family is still sleeping in the other room. But that’s NOT what I mean when I say – we are not really alone.

Even when people surround us, we can feel very lonely and alone. We want to be known, understood and accepted. As women, we can be crying out for companionship while we pretend to be just fine on the outside. Many of us experience feelings of depression or loneliness at some point in our life. It can happen if you’ve recently experienced a death of a loved one, a major life change, relationship issues or more recently – a pandemic!

We have gone thru a year last year like no other – Social Distancing, the mandated Stay at Home order and people holed up in their homes to combat COVID has caused the depression levels in this country to rise astronomically. We all essentially became “shut ins” and were told not to interact with other people outside our immediate family. The feeling of loneliness and being alone was sometimes very overwhelming!

We all have witnessed loneliness thru this pandemic with friends and family – How? By just simply wanting to give each other a hug – but can’t – wanting to share a simple cup of coffee across a kitchen table – but can’t – or just wanting to be close to one another – but can’t. How lonely were we? How sad were we? How isolated were we?

Loneliness is such a hard emotion to overcome. It overwhelms you and can paralyze you if you let it. The sadness makes you want to stay in bed all day long, curled up in a ball not caring if you see another soul. I have seen it take the life out of my favorite, crazy, funny Aunt, little by little, every day since my Uncle died four years ago. Loneliness has turned her into a woman that sees very little joy these days.

Being alone and depressed is not fun. I know, I have experienced it firsthand when I got divorced many years ago before the pandemic ever was a reality. It is a crippling, debilitating black hole that you fall into that affects every part of your life. You want so badly to talk to someone, know that someone is listening to you and to be reminded that you will be okay, and this loneliness will not last forever.

The great thing is there are many ways people choose to deal with depression and loneliness. They can talk to a therapist, increase their exercise, go for a walk outside or lean more on friends and family.

But ultimately – that is STILL not what I mean when I say – You are Not Alone – You are Not Alone because you can ALWAYS turn to God. God knows our need for relationships. His desire is for us to enjoy both aspects of companionship: relationship with him and relationships with other people. But even though he designed us for both, there can be times in our lives when we are hard-pressed to find friendships. It is then that we come to understand how vital our relationship with God truly is.

We can survive for a time without each other – we did it in 2020 – but we cannot survive without God in our lives. When we are feeling lonely, our relationship with God is the first place we can go to receive comfort and hope. God desires to give us meaningful relationships with others and We can trust him to work in our lives to bring these relationships a reality. In the meantime, we do not need to walk alone in our loneliness, for God is walking with us. We need to remind ourselves that God remains with us – no matter what. He is there to lift us up.

The bible is a wonderful source of inspiration for many people when they are looking for answers. It can also be a source of comfort if you are alone and feeling sad. The bible reminds us that in times of sadness and trouble, God walks beside us, listens to us, rescues us, gladdens us and secures us. I turned to the bible to find answers around this topic tonight and I found 3 bible verses I wanted to share with you. They remind me that the bible is a spiritual support when we struggle with loneliness.

The first bible verse is from Deuteronomy 31:8 –

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

The good news about this bible verse is that while depression can make you feel lonely, God is still there with you. And he’s not going anywhere. You do not have to be afraid that he will abandon you.

The second bible verse is from 1 Peter 5:7 –

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

The wonderful message about this verse is that Depression and Anxiety can be isolating experiences. But Jesus is there, and he cares about you. You can turn to Him for help with whatever you may be feeling.

The third bible verse is from Psalm 40: 1-2 –

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

I love this bible verse because I am a visual learner and the vivid imagery in this verse is especially relevant for those dealing with depression. Like I mentioned before, depression can truly feel like you’re in a pit sometimes. Through faith in God, you can find stability once again.

So, as you continue your life’s journey, embrace the promise that God walks with you; He hears you, He sees you and He loves you deeply. And as you walk, maybe you will be a companion for someone else today, reminding them of God’s love. Maybe you will be the one who gives someone who is feeling separated and alone, some peace, or love or hope to hold onto, just by being there for them. As I reflect on our 5 months of Social Devotions, I hope that you know God has a Plan for you; that God uses the Power of Love to bring people into your life to help you; That when you worry – have faith to fall back on; and let the power of music, comfort, inspire and bring you so much happiness that you will want to Sing for Joy. Please remember, you have people in your life who care about you. And when we get in that lonely state of mind – call a friend or someone on this very Zoom call for instance – let them know how you are feeling and more importantly – talk to God – he is waiting and ready to listen.

Please pray with me:

Lord, forgive me for not always trusting that you know what I need when I am lonely. Help me open myself up to the opportunities you bring into my life for friendship. Please give me the courage to respond to others when they want to get to know me. Please bring close friends into my life who are devoted to you. I don’t want to be alone, Lord, but sometimes it’s hard to step outside of my comfort zone. I can do this, though, because no matter what happens, I will never be truly alone. I know You will always walk with me. Thank you, Lord. In your awesome name we pray. Amen.