Never Alone, Always Known

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there." —Psalm 139:7-8 (NIV)

Mother Theresa once said, “The world’s greatest tragedy is unwantedness; the world’s greatest disease is loneliness.”[1]

Philip Zimbardo, writing in Psychology Today, has said, “There is no more destructive influence on physical and mental health than the isolation of you from me and of us from them.” He points to studies that show loneliness as a central agent of depression, paranoia, schizophrenia, rape, suicide, mass murder, and a wide variety of diseases. We’ve all seen the polls that point to shorter life spans for lonely people.[2]

What is Loneliness?[3]
- Loneliness is Not SOLITUDE (being alone).
- You can be LONESOME, but not lonely.
- You can be lonely IN A CROWD.

David Jeremiah writes, “What is loneliness? I don’t know how to define it; all I can do is describe it. It’s an underlying anxiety at having no one close, a sharp ache in a moment of grief, and an empty feeling in the pit of the stomach when we know we have no one to whom we can turn.” [4]
 
Loneliness is not isolation. It is insulation. It is the feeling cut off. It is feeling unnoticed, unloved, uncared, unneeded, and maybe even unnecessary.
- The Old Testament Hebrew word for "lonely" is shamem, which means "to be desolate."
- The New Testament word eremos means "desert places."
- Loneliness is the state of sadness that comes from feeling alone, isolated or cut off from others.
- A person can feel a lack of connection with others even when in their presence.

Everyone has three basic psychological and spiritual needs.[5]
1) Everybody needs someone to love and to share intimately with.
2) Everybody needs someone who can understand, to know how they feel and says, "Yes, I understand, I care."
3) Everybody needs to be needed and wanted.

Loneliness isn’t just about being physically alone—it’s about feeling unseen, unneeded, and unknown. Even in a crowded room, we can feel invisible. But there’s a truth we often forget: God’s presence is never absent, even in our loneliest moments.

Psalm 139 beautifully reminds us that we are never out of God’s reach. Whether we are at the highest peak of joy or the lowest valley of despair, He is there. David, the psalmist, knew this well. He had moments of isolation, fleeing from enemies and feeling forgotten. Yet, he clung to the truth that God’s Spirit never left him.

Today, you might feel alone—perhaps in your workplace, at home, or even in your church. But remember, God is not distant. He is closer than your next breath, fully aware of your struggles, and lovingly present in your life.

Reflection Question: When have you felt alone and needed to be reminded of God’s presence?

"Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for never leaving me, even when I feel alone. Help me to recognize Your nearness in every moment, and may Your presence comfort me in my times of need. Teach me to trust that You are with me, no matter where I go or what I face. In Jesus’ Name, amen."

Adapted from "God's Answer for Loneliness": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/5md6t56/7-god-s-answer-for-loneliness

 
[1] As quoted in Tim Clinton, The Quick-Reference Guide to Biblical Counseling (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2009), 151.
[2] Philip Zimbardo, “The Age of Indifference,” Psychology Today, 30 August 1980.
[3] Based on Adrian Rogers, Mastering Your Emotions (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1988), 99-100.
[4] David Jeremiah, Overcoming Loneliness: Study Guide (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997), 8.
[5] Rogers, 101.