Lonely Season
Lonely Season by Kevin Johnson
Have you ever noticed how you can be traveling on the interstate going 70 mph and then you start to see brake lights. Just up ahead, cars are slowing down. Within a half mile you have now come to a complete halt. Something up ahead has caused traffic to back up and your journey that was once ninety to nothing as we say in the south has now come to a grinding standstill. Welcome to the month of January.
The way calendars fall, it has always seemed that the Autumn months are jammed pack with school returning, routines back in check and events happening left and right. Then you get to the holidays and your calendar is jammed pack with non-stop action and activities. The hustle and bustle of holidays, school, events, means we are in a constant on the go routine. Then January hits and things come to a grinding halt. To go from full speed to a crawl can impact the mind, heart and even spirit.
I learned a long time ago that winter months often magnify loneliness in some people. The cold temperatures keep people inside, the days are shorter the nights are longer. and the combination can take a toll. It’s ok that you have moments of loneliness. We all do. Feeling lonely is not a sin but is a human trait. Married people experience and single people experience it. Old and young have the same feelings at times. So how do we overcome the lonely season?
Isaiah the prophet says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10. One of the first ways to overcome loneliness is to remember as a Christian we are never alone. I often say you can be lonely but never alone as a believer. I have found in my seasons of loneliness is a good time for me to refresh my spirit and journey with God. I spend extra time in prayer and reading scripture. I will change up my routine to keep my mind fresh and my spirit sharp. Just remember the truth, God is with you.
Loneliness can bring about anxiety. God’s word reminds us, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7. Is it ok to cast lonely feelings at the feet of Jesus? Absolutely. You are not weak for feeling lonely, but you are totally human. God gets it! Communicate with God about your feelings. But then, why not write a few cards to friends, or text a few family members. Maybe a call to a long lost friend to catch up. Those things seem to refresh our spirit.
Some of us are hurting from a loss of a loved one. It was five years ago today that I received the call my Mom had entered Heaven. Those wounds don’t heal as fast for some as they do for others. That is ok. But God is always mending those wounds. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalm 147:3. This is a beautiful picture of binding up our wounds. God will sew us back up. Yes the scars are reminders but we can move on. But in these cold winter days, reach out to a close friend and ask if you can chat. Some days you just need someone to talk to about that loss. It’s ok. But don’t remain in the valley, God has plans for you and a future.
So don’t let the January standstill get you down. Instead allow your faith in God to grow in these moments of stillness. Seek Him a little deeper and trust Him a little more. Just remember you can be lonely, but you are never alone.
Have you ever noticed how you can be traveling on the interstate going 70 mph and then you start to see brake lights. Just up ahead, cars are slowing down. Within a half mile you have now come to a complete halt. Something up ahead has caused traffic to back up and your journey that was once ninety to nothing as we say in the south has now come to a grinding standstill. Welcome to the month of January.
The way calendars fall, it has always seemed that the Autumn months are jammed pack with school returning, routines back in check and events happening left and right. Then you get to the holidays and your calendar is jammed pack with non-stop action and activities. The hustle and bustle of holidays, school, events, means we are in a constant on the go routine. Then January hits and things come to a grinding halt. To go from full speed to a crawl can impact the mind, heart and even spirit.
I learned a long time ago that winter months often magnify loneliness in some people. The cold temperatures keep people inside, the days are shorter the nights are longer. and the combination can take a toll. It’s ok that you have moments of loneliness. We all do. Feeling lonely is not a sin but is a human trait. Married people experience and single people experience it. Old and young have the same feelings at times. So how do we overcome the lonely season?
Isaiah the prophet says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10. One of the first ways to overcome loneliness is to remember as a Christian we are never alone. I often say you can be lonely but never alone as a believer. I have found in my seasons of loneliness is a good time for me to refresh my spirit and journey with God. I spend extra time in prayer and reading scripture. I will change up my routine to keep my mind fresh and my spirit sharp. Just remember the truth, God is with you.
Loneliness can bring about anxiety. God’s word reminds us, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7. Is it ok to cast lonely feelings at the feet of Jesus? Absolutely. You are not weak for feeling lonely, but you are totally human. God gets it! Communicate with God about your feelings. But then, why not write a few cards to friends, or text a few family members. Maybe a call to a long lost friend to catch up. Those things seem to refresh our spirit.
Some of us are hurting from a loss of a loved one. It was five years ago today that I received the call my Mom had entered Heaven. Those wounds don’t heal as fast for some as they do for others. That is ok. But God is always mending those wounds. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalm 147:3. This is a beautiful picture of binding up our wounds. God will sew us back up. Yes the scars are reminders but we can move on. But in these cold winter days, reach out to a close friend and ask if you can chat. Some days you just need someone to talk to about that loss. It’s ok. But don’t remain in the valley, God has plans for you and a future.
So don’t let the January standstill get you down. Instead allow your faith in God to grow in these moments of stillness. Seek Him a little deeper and trust Him a little more. Just remember you can be lonely, but you are never alone.
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