Devotional
Lonely or Alone?
Learning to hang on to the God who loves us
23
long days. I´m staying at home. No signs of COVID-19, yet there are signs of loneliness. That´s what many have been experiencing during this pandemic. What should we hold on to? What should we disregard under these circumstances? APRIL 2020
Several weeks have passed since my social life has been turned upside down. Lockdown, restrictions, home office, and isolation have marked these past weeks. I go out only once a week to shop for groceries. Yet even that is quickly taken care of without really meeting people. Most people won’t even look at me while shopping, and as useful as video calls may be, they can never replace eye contact or the feeling 24
June 2021 AdventistWorld.org
of physical touch. Deeper questions rise to the surface: Who are the people most dear to me? What do I hold on to in life? Why am I alone? What awaits me tomorrow? Where will I find the strength to meet the new day? What shall I do with myself the whole time? I jotted these lines into my prayer journal. As a young adult I'm emotionally affected by COVID-19. Instead of ignoring emotions I try to take a closer look. How is it going? Not too well. I miss hanging out with friends and talking to colleagues. The Bible actually states that it’s not good for humanity to be alone (Gen. 2:18), and once we're alone we realize just how true that is. We were made to be in relationships. We need one another. And in such a crisis our need surfaces.
LONG AGO
I remember an old Bible story. He was a successful and very influential man. He wasn’t only rich but also God-fearing, blameless, and upright. A man of honor. Suddenly, though, the tables were turned: his livestock was stolen or destroyed by natural disasters, and all his children died. Within days he lost everything he had loved. As if that wasn’t enough, he fell ill with a painful disease. This was too much for his wife. She told her husband to curse God and die. How was Job dealing with these hardships? “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth” (Job 19:25). Where did his confidence come from? What gave him the strength Photo: Alex Green
