Bible Reading: Romans 8:35-39
Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39
FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD Holly lived in a foster home for several years. She was active in the youth group at her church and had a bunch of friends there. One summer, Holly went away for a week of church youth camp. When she got home, her foster parents told her she had to leave the next day to live in a group home in another state. The authorities had made the decision without talking to Holly or her foster parents.
Holly felt ripped from her friends and family, tossed into a strange new environment. Over the next weeks and months she felt wrenching loneliness.
You might never face a situation as severe as Holly’s, but sooner or later everyone faces a loss or separation that ends in inward hurt.
Loneliness and sadness can hit you from many directions:
- Life changes. As you grow up, your interests and values change. That affects who you spend time with-and who spends time with you.
- Friends move away. Career moves and other reasons lead adults to uproot families and move away, sometimes yanking friends from your life.
- Families sometimes split up. If your own parents separate or divorce, your relationships almost always change. That can cause deep loneliness.
- Love sometimes leaves. When a boyfriend or girlfriend torpedoes a relationship, you feel hurt. Unloved. Devastated. You might figure that no one will ever love you again.
- Loved ones die. There’s nothing as painful as the ache of losing a parent, grandparent, sibling, or friend to death. Losing a pet can hit hard too.
What makes these painful situations even harder is that the loss might be completely beyond your control. But here’s a great truth: Jesus is the one friend you can never lose. Every other relationship you have will someday change through moves, divorce, or death. But Jesus will always be there for you. He won’t move away or die. He won’t change how he feels about you or dash your heart to pieces. He won’t ever say, “That’s the last straw! I’m leaving!” And he goes with you when you go through the loss of your earthly friends.
REFLECT: What in your life is making you lonely right now?
PRAY: Jesus, I’m grateful that you stick with me even when my other friends aren’t around.
