Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.
- Mother Teresa
Physical or emotional, social or spiritual anguish can bleed the vibrant colors of life to black and white while leaving our hearts black and blue. In moderation, loneliness and depression reveal our need for the presence and comfort of God.
In larger doses these Goliaths of sorrow can seem to bring our life's progress to a standstill, even threatening to overrun our faith. Its good to know we're not alone in our struggles and that Scripture's full of direction and promise. Not the least of which is Christ's foundational beatitude "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
Disappointment and emotional distress come in many forms. Heartache and anguish can arise from circumstances beyond our control, those of our own making or a little of both.
Loneliness and depression are common experiences and in moderation encourage the building of healthy relationships. Yet frequently, friends and even family fail to live up to our expectations.
Disillusionment can deepen as other circumstances add to our despair. Financial distress and illness, spiritual pain and the specter of death often exacerbate feelings of inadequacy and sorrow. Here again, crises becomes opportunity when used to motivate us to reach beyond ourselves. Facing such challenges many seek solace in faith. Looking to encounter God, billions takes steps to approach or appease the Divine hoping to gain help and understanding.
Sadly, a vast majority of those seeking spiritual guidance find little or no lasting comfort. Buffeted by deteriorating circumstances, we are often disappointed in our relationships with each other and our Creator. Disturbed by the apparent distance and silence of God, most give in to unbelief and despair. Others use the occasion to take a closer look at themselves, others and the things they believe.
God vs. Religion
Institutionalized religion, regardless of the faith, provides a context and foundation for relationships. For millennia it's provided a hub around which family and societal values could be established. It also offers it's adherents access, real of not, to God.
Karl Marx claimed "Religion is the opiate of the people." Hugh Laurie, in his role as the protagonist anti-hero Gregory House M.D. augmented the quote to "Religion is the placebo of the people." In a very real sense, both were right. By it's very nature, religion often takes the place of God, instilling in its devotees a sense of "having arrived" by virtue of adopting traditional beliefs and practices. Tragically, by doing so without doing the homework, billions have accepted false theology and doctrines destined to fail the test of time and eternity.
While often helpful, Religion in and of itself can only do so much. Only those who grasp the importance of identifying and seeking answers to life's ultimate questions are likely to understand why faith is reasonable. It takes a degree of honesty and some diligent study to define solid reasons to believe and even more importantly, discover in Whom to believe. Thankfully, the Bible stands head and shoulders above all other religious and philosophical books. By far the best selling book of all time, evidence of it's authenticity as the word of God is literally overwhelming.
Yet having access to God's word is no guarantee of studying it, much less interpreting it accurately. Nor does correct interpretation equate to seeking God, much less adopting and acting on the Bible's major directives. Yet for the wise believer, Jesus offers a promise for those battered by the storms of life:
- "These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards." Matthew 7:24-27 The Message
For those having failed to give God a fighting chance to comfort and strengthen their hearts, minds and souls loneliness and depression signal the need to rethink the wisdom of that decision. Our very existence, not to mention our a vast and fine tuned universe is clear proof of the intelligence and power of a God as Creator. Now add to this the overwhelming compelling evidence for the Divine inspiration of the Bible with it's amazing story of the price Christ paid for our atonement. Further, when factoring in scripture's assurance of eternal rewards and punishments awaiting each of us just behind death's door and you literally have every conceivable reason to seek Omnity out. Yet thousands of millions choose lifestyles that neglect or ignore God all together. When considering all He's done, including providing us with blessings unparalleled in human history, failing to do our part leaves us with only ourselves to blame.
Overcome the World
By definition, Christians are those who can rely on the promises and presence of God when faced with life's difficulties. Yet Jesus warns not all those who call Christ their Savior and Lord are accepted by Him:
- “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’" Matthew 7:21-23
The Bible assures that Christ's atonement provides unrestricted access to God for those willing to meet the conditions of the free gift of salvation. Throughout His teachings and in stories such as the Pearl of Great Price and the Treasure Hid in a Field, Jesus explains the Divine exchange rate for the free gift of salvation is our all for His. By both their continual example and words the Lord and His apostles make clear that seeking and serving God requires a full time commitment:
- "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?'" Matthew 16:24-26
- "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up." Hebrews 12:1-3
- "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
- "It was for people like us... that he had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people's sins, he would have already experienced it all himself—all the pain, all the testing—and would be able to help where help was needed." Hebrews 2:16-18 The Message
- "Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let's not let it slip through our fingers. We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help." Hebrews 4:15-16 The Message
- "All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too." 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 The Message
At such times the wise learn to wait on the Lord, remembering the Bible's advice to "be still and know that I am God." They take solace in the lamentations and complaints of the prophets. Encouraging themselves in the Lord they recall their blessings in psalms of delight while crying out for deliverance in psalms of the night. Like Paul before them, they "fight the good fight of faith" praying that they and those they love would be filled with all the fullness of God.
Like "deep calling to deep" they long for God to "rend the heavens and come down." Counting the cost, these persevere against the odds and resistance from the god of this world. Hoping against hope such endure day by day looking forward to experiencing "the goodness of God in the land of the living" and throughout the eternal ages to come.
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