DEVOTIONALS: "What to do when I feel alone"

God places the lonely in families;
    he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.          

                                                         (Ps. 68:6)

Upon arriving at my office for my first day on the job at the Grace Place Church, I found myself surrounded by quiet. I was alone. There was one other part time employee but they had the day off that day so it was just me and the unbroken silence of a very large portable that houses 7 offices. The church was recovering from a very difficult season that left all but two of those offices empty. In fact until that faithful day I arrived even my office had been empty. It remained quiet throughout the day: no phone calls, no doors opening and closing, no footsteps in the hall, no laughter, no muffled conversations, nothing. 

When you are alone for an extended period of time you start to miss the noise of life. Amazingly enough you do not need to be without people  or noise to feel alone. All of us have felt alone in a crowd. Maybe you have sat in a busy airport or a downtown mall and wondered if you were to yell out loud  would anyone even notice? "HEY I AM HERE DOES ANYBODY SEE ME?"  This kind of "alone" is a warning sign. It indicates that we are disconnected. Disconnected from people, purpose and self worth. Most importantly it reveals we are disconnecting from God.

We need to listen to the warning sings of "feeling alone". Our feelings do not always tell us the truth but they do tell us what we are feeling in that moment. You can be surrounded by a loving family and "feel alone".  From the beginning God established that "It is not good for man to be alone" (Gen. 2:18) Bad things can happen to good people when they are alone.  

"God places the lonely in families". He gave Eve to Adam and family to Adam and Eve. God did not want man to be alone. God has given all of us the "family of God' in the church for fellowship, encouragement, direction and to assist in helping us find our purpose. Here are three things you can do when you feel alone:

APPLICATION STEPS

1. Do not ignore the warning sign. Recognize you are disconnecting. 

2. Get reconnected: reconnect with your church and church family, reach out to your Christian friends and spiritual leaders, make friends not excuses.

3. Ask God to help you reconnect. Invite Him into your daily life in worship, prayer and  study of His Word. 

JOURNAL: 

What could happen if you were to reconnect with God's family? Invite God's family to share in your life? What holds you back? 

Read: Romans 8:35-39