For the next few days, we are going to talk about something that’s (unfortunately) more and more universal in our world — loneliness.

Isn’t it interesting that when we punish a child, we give them what’s called a “time out,” which involves being alone for a period of time, often with no toys or interaction? And when a prisoner is out of line, they are further punished by going to a place of solitary confinement where they are completely alone and often in the dark for a number of days or weeks. This is because it’s a known fact that loneliness is one of the worst things for the human spirit, and feeling a loss of connection to others is indeed a form of punishment. If inflicted by someone else or due to our own insecurities, a lot of the brokeness and bad things we do are not rooted in a lack of knowledge of right and wrong, but are driven by a relational deficit that deprives us of true connection. Whether a child, adult, or inmate, feeling alone is perhaps life’s greatest prison cell, even though it’s one to which we really do hold the key.

Friend, in this rapidly changing world, feeling lonely is something we all experience. However, the good news is that you are not alone; you are designed by God to need other people and to give and receive love. I assure you that your Creator will never leave you without the fuel He fashioned you to run on. Not only do you have friends and family, but you have the Lord, and He alone can penetrate the deepest and most isolated parts of your soul. When you learn to seek Him in solitude, you will more readily find true connection with other people. You see, knowing Jesus is the greatest yearning of your heart and knowing others is an outgrowth of having intimacy with Him. Isn’t that great news?