Overcoming Loneliness #2 of 2

Excerpt taken from the book Overcomers, A Study on Gaining Victory Over the Obstacles in Life by Jeffrey Bush

Reach out.

A cure for loneliness is to reach out and serve others. I do believe staying busy is good, (after all, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop), but reaching out to others is more than just staying busy. Reaching out to others will allow you to forget about your needs and start focusing on the needs and lives of others. If you were to go down to the hospital, local rescue mission, soup kitchen, public school, or any number of needy areas, you would soon find out that there are people with much bigger problems than that of your own. Listen to this saying by Denis E. Waitley: “I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street, I met a man who had no feet.” 

Learn the lost art of hospitality.

Hospitality has to do with receiving or entertaining guests, strangers, or visitors. Since loneliness is a state of mind that pushes people to recluse, hospitality is probably never on a lonely person’s radar. Yet God saw fit to tell all Christians to be “given to hospitality” (Romans 12:13). There are many ways to show hospitality, whether opening your house, using your vehicle to help, baking something for others, giving words of encouragement, or simply giving a helping hand where needed. It doesn’t matter how you show hospitality, the point is that God wants every one of His children to do it. But God takes a step further by saying He wants His children not only to be hospitable, but to also do it “without grudging” (1 Peter 4:9). In other words, don’t just be hospitable, but do it with the right heart attitude. In fact, God says “be not forgetful to entertain (show hospitality to) strangers” (Hebrews 13:2). So why does hospitality even matter, outside of the fact that God commands us to do it? Because it’s always better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). It does something for your own heart when you break free from dwelling on yourself and begin receiving, helping, and entertaining others. As you set aside the concern for yourself and focus on serving others, the stone of loneliness is broken, your mood changes, others are helped, and you are following your Heavenly Father’s instructions. The lost art of hospitality is a great solution to overcome loneliness!

Manage your time better.

Getting out of the house, out of bed, and busy fulfilling both your responsibilities as well as your goals will help shake much of the loneliness. It’s not that business solves all loneliness, but the less time one has to be alone and think on their own struggles is for the better. The devil whispers in the ears of many Christians that no one loves them, they don’t matter, and it’s not worth it. Not having the luxury of staying home, being alone, or having too much free time will minimize much of the loneliness. Pull out a piece of paper, write down every day of the week, and start plugging in your job hours, your responsibilities, and your goals. Maybe there’s yard work that needs done, a neighbor that needs helped, a project you’ve always wanted to get to, or some personal reading and studying. Start managing your time better and you might just smother out the loneliness from your life. 

Let’s close out this chapter meditating on the good old hymn entitled “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” The song will do you good to think upon, pray, and even sing out to God. 

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.