This week I experienced a joy that had been missing since the pandemic shut down our lives three years ago.
My husband and I invited fourteen people to join a small group in our home. As all sixteen of us crowded together in the kitchen for a get-acquainted activity, I realized just how lonely I had been without them.
I’m still smiling, not only from the wonderful connections we experienced that evening but also for the hope of friendships that will develop.
Is any pleasure on Earth as great as a circle of Christian friends?
C. S. Lewis
I am reminded that belonging is one of the great longings of every human soul. God created us to be closely connected, both to him and to others.
There are more than 50 “one another” verses in the Bible, including loving one another, carrying one another’s burdens, encouraging one another, forgiving one another, and seeking good for another. Unless we’re involved in one another’s lives, we can’t one-another each other.
The Dangers of Loneliness
But according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, we are in the midst of an epidemic of loneliness and isolation. One study said that one in five of us reported feeling lonely on a daily basis, that more than half of us (54%) of us don’t have a friend we feel comfortable calling in the middle of the night for an emergency, and that 82% of us don’t feel very close to the friends we have.
Furthermore, not only does loneliness pose mental and spiritual threats, but the surgeon general gives a stark warning of its impact on our physical health: “The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity.”
If you feel lonely sometimes, here’s a brief assessment to help you acknowledge that loneliness:
Life is definitely better together. If you’d like some great resources on connecting with others, please sign up below. You can also see my Top 10 verses to pray when you’re lonely.