After my previous post (CLICK HERE if you have not read it or this post won’t make much sense!), I have continued to think more about this subject of loneliness.  It is a vital subject.  It is so important simply because almost all of us experience loneliness, to some measure, on a regular basis.  Since it is part of all of our “pilgrimage” in life, I wanted to talk about a few of things that have kept me afloat over the years.

Beyond my living overseas (which is innately lonely), I am still single.  Though I have had some of greatest roommates in human history, the last three years have seen me living in Asian apartments by myself.

Additionally, I have taken hundreds of flights by myself and spent WAY too many nights in hotel rooms with just me, a bed, and really bad Asian TV as my only personal contact.  Heck, I’m embarrassed by the number of movie theaters of which I have played the role of “that creepy guy” sitting off in the corner by himself.  That guy who couldn’t drum up a single friend to catch a flick with him. . . yep, that guy has been me in places like Bangkok and Hong Kong more times than I care to mention.  All of this puts me in the unenviable position of perhaps being an “expert” on the whole area of loneliness.

So here are a few additional thoughts I have had on staving off the pangs of loneliness in my own life.  I would love to hear your thoughts at the end of this post. . . 

1)  You are understood in all things by Christ Jesus (especially in this area of loneliness) – I will not spend much time on this, as I dealt with it in my precious post.  However, even this week I have been touched by just how lonely, isolated, and even despondent the Bible clearly shows parts of Christ’s life were.

All within Christ’s last week before the crucifixion, His disciples couldn’t even stay awake for Him during His darkest hour (Mark 14:32-46), Christ was betrayed by a disciple (Matthew 26:48-50), and He was denied by one of His closest friends and confidants in the world (Mark 14:66-72).  These are brutal betrayals to a level that most, if not all of us, will never face.  Aside from this, He was literally beaten, spat upon, and went to His death completely alienated from all of His followers and friends.  However, Christ faced them all in excruciating fashion.

When loneliness latches on, I find it helpful to remember that Christ really does understand in a first person, extraordinarily empathetic way.  HE is with me, everywhere and at all times.  He DOES understand me in each and every situation in which I find yourself.  Great to cling to this reality during periods of loneliness.

2)  Community is everything – The [Read more…]

As I type this, I am sitting on the back deck of my apartment in Asia.  There is a subway track in front, along with the panoramic view of sky scrapers of which most are still under construction.  It is quiet right now, as life in this crowded mega-city is readying for bed.  Other than the sound of a TV coming from an apartment of a near deaf person a floor or so below me and the hum of the occasional construction truck winding down the streets 10 floors below, it is quiet. . . it is peaceful. . . however, it is lonely.

I have been thinking about loneliness a good bit today.  Partially because I heard a tremendous sermon on it by my friend Rankin Wilbourne this afternoon (click here to listen). . . partially because I am, in fact, struggling with loneliness right now.  It comes and goes often with me living in an apartment by myself here in Asia.

It can come with the sight of something that reminds me of a niece or a nephew or when something funny happens that I know a good friend in the States would appreciate.  It can come from a picture over Facebook reminding me that lives are moving on without me in relationships I used to hold dear.

Loneliness can come with an email informing me that I have missed yet another family event or wedding or friend gathering.  Today it came from just hearing

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