Remaining Hot For The Lonely

Remaining Hot For The Lonely

2 Timothy 1: ¹⁵ You know that everyone in the province of Asia, including Phygelus and Hermogenes, has deserted me. ¹⁶ May the Lord show mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he cheered me up many times. He was not ashamed that I am in prison, ¹⁷ but as soon as he arrived in Rome, he started looking for me until he found me. ¹⁸ May the Lord grant him his mercy on that Day! And you know very well how much he did for me in Ephesus.

 

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Feeling lonely in a crowd became more apparent when I looked at people with smiles on their faces as they greeted one another and I had no one to greet me. I walked around for a while and decided to call it a night. It was getting late, I thought to myself until I looked at the time and it was 5:30 PM. I went to my room anyway.

 

• I was lonely and the crowd made it feel worse.
• I wanted people around me who could see me.
• I desired to be noticed.

 

Paul takes a strange turn in his letter to Timothy. He expressed his loneliness while being imprisoned. He praised Onesiphorus for his diligence in visiting and the trouble he went through to find Paul. Other people may have been concerned about being associated with a “criminal” but Onesiphorus saw past that.

 

My Observations

• I can be lonely even when someone is sitting right next to me, BUT GOD is merciful and sends people to me.
• There are many people who are alone, misunderstood or by themselves for other reasons and GOD wants me and others to connect to them.
• Lonely people may not have the energy or ability to cure their own loneliness, BUT GOD sees the need and will supply the right people at the right time.

 

Part of loneliness was me and it was frustrating to admit that. I mean, I did not like meeting people because I did not have much to say, nor did I want to hear what was being said. BUT GOD intervened. HE wants to save every single human and wants me to do my part.

 

HE made people more interesting by showing HIS love to me. HE desires that the lonely, desolate and destitute be reached so HIS love can be shown. I will gladly reach out to those who GOD sends me to.

 

Challenge

• How does the writer sound?
• Have you ever been lonely?
• How does loneliness affect your relationship with GOD?
• Will you pray for a little strength and reach out to a person you know is experiencing loneliness today, even when he or she may have people around them today?