Dealing With Loneliness

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Psalm 102:6-7Loneliness is the most devastating and inevitable fact of human existence. We all must experience it, and we can’t stop it; rather, we must learn how to deal with loneliness.Loneliness is not solitude, nor is it being lonesome or being in isolation. It is insulation; it is feeling cut off, unnoticed, unloved, uncared for, unneeded and maybe even unnecessary.David expresses his loneliness in Psalm 102:6-7: “I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert. I lie awake, and am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.”Everyone has three basic psychological and spiritual needs: to share love intimately, to be understood and cared for, and to be needed and wanted. When we don’t feel these needs are being met, we feel cut off.Loneliness can come from feeling rejected; it can be a deep inner wound that hasn’t healed, and we don't want to risk being hurt again. Others of us may have a sense of insecurity and low self-worth. We are unable to see ourselves as worthy of acceptance. Some of us are lonely because we’ve gone through deep sorrow, tragedy, and loss. In our grief, we lose our sense of perspective.We must see that loneliness can be destructive to our health and well-being. Many of our harmful vices and coping mechanisms are formed due to loneliness.We must also remember that Jesus is the answer to loneliness. He alone meets our three basic needs. He loves us intimately and He understands what it is to feel lonely.Psalm 102 is a messianic song, one that portrayed how Jesus would feel on the cross.Adrian Rogers says, “When David died, he could say, ‘yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me,’ (See Psalm 23.) but Jesus walked that lonesome valley all by himself.”He needs us as His beloved Body; more than that, He wants us as His Bride.We may be alone, but we are never alone. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus (See Romans 8:38-39.).Apply it to your lifeIf you are dealing with loneliness, understand that it is a common fact and it can be a crippling force. But more than that, remember: Jesus, alone, is the answer.