Scripture of the Week 1

Wow! What a powerful verse! I cannot wait to dive into this scripture with you.

Before we get started though, I would just like to share that this scripture series was not something that I had originally planned on doing. I honestly do not know how long this series will be. However, I felt incredibly lead to do it anyway. I do feel like this is a great opportunity to share scriptures with others, and hold myself accountable for learning and studying scripture as well. So, let’s get started!!

Here is the scripture one more time:

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.”

Psalm 139:7-10

Why Does This Scripture Speak to Me?

This scripture is one that I use to combat feeling lonely. Loneliness has been a huge topic of conversation in my life over the past few weeks. I have heard it come up in several sermons & podcasts, group discussions, and even conversations I’ve had with other people. I do not like to assume things, however; I think it is safe to say that everyone will struggle with loneliness at some point in their life. Scripture is a good place to find reassurance and hope in these times.

If you know me personally or have read some of my recent blog or page posts, you know that I have a husband who works away from home. While I am incredibly grateful to have such a hard-working man, it is often times so lonely. It is very easy to slip into loneliness whenever you have so much going on & no-one to really share it with. You can read more about what my daily life looks like here.

This is also in general a very lonely time of year for me and many others. Spoiler: my next blog post-The Hard Holidays, will go in depth with this.

So, unfortunately, I do struggle with feelings of loneliness.

Why do we feel lonely?

People can feel alone for several reasons. You can be physically alone, or isolated. Maybe you live away from family or friends, or maybe you have no choice but to be away from others. Covid-19 has really impacted this. However, you can also feel alone while being surrounded by people. Maybe you struggle with social anxiety (like myself) or maybe you find it hard to make genuine connections with people. I, like many others, have experienced both of these. Whatever the reason, loneliness has the potential to spiral into other things like depression, toxic thoughts, and harmful coping. This is why it is important that we aren’t afraid to recognize that we are struggling with loneliness and talk about feeling lonely.

What Does This Scripture Mean?

I love scriptures that are easy to translate. This one is so beautiful yet so simple: HE IS WITH YOU.

God is omnipresent- He is everywhere, all the time. There is no place you can go that He cannot reach you. Although we may feel lonely, we are never truly completely alone. All we have to do is call out to God and He will be right there.

I especially love the last part of this verse, “If I take the wings of the morning/ and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea/ Even there Your hand shall lead me/ And Your right hand shall hold me.” This is the Lord telling us that even if we are completely isolated, stranded at sea- He is there. I believe He means this both physically and metaphorically. Not only is He there, He is guiding us back to Him. If that isn’t enough, He is even HOLDING us with His Almighty right hand. This is so reassuring to me that no matter how lonely I feel, I have peace in knowing that He is forever with me.

How Can We Use This Scripture?

I believe this scripture, along with several others, can be a huge aid in combatting feelings of loneliness or isolation. Lately, anytime I find myself dwelling on feeling like a single mother or wishing my husband could be here with me through the chaos, I have been turning to scripture. This scripture really spoke to me as a gentle reminder that I always have someone who will never have to leave me. I believe we all need to use our feelings of loneliness to give us another opportunity to reach out to God.

If you are struggling and don’t know how to talk to God, maybe start with something like this : Lord, you know my heart and you know my struggles. Please God, show me that you are near. Show me how I can use this to draw closer to you.

What Does God Say About Loneliness?

Furthermore, keep in mind that sometimes God has to get us alone in order to speak to us. There are instances in the Bible where Jesus breaks away from His disciples in order to speak to God. (Mark 4:34, 6:31-32, 46-47) There are also times in scripture when the disciples broke away from the chaos around them and went to the mountains to pray. (Matthew 17, Matthew 28)

So maybe ask yourself: Am I alone or am I lonely? If you are alone, use this as an opportunity to spend more time with Jesus. If you are lonely, do not be afraid to reach out to Jesus and poor your heart out to Him.

Also, God wants you to be happy! He wants you to be able to come to Him so that you can be made new. The Lord wants you to be able to rest in Him. He wants to give you peace and hope for the future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

“God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of my life.” Job 22:28

Conclusion

Okay friends, today we have learned through studying this scripture that although we may experience loneliness, we are never truly alone because God is ALWAYS there.

Everyone is bound to struggle with feeling this way, and that’s okay. We know that we can always go to the Lord because He wants the best for us, He is for us, and He knows how to help us overcome these feelings.

Additionally, God has gifted us with modern resources. Do not feel ashamed if you need to utilize them. As I stated before, it is very easy for feelings of loneliness to spiral into more serious things. If you feel that your loneliness is taking a serious toll on your mental health or taking on a new form- DO NOT BE AFRAID TO REACH OUT. Talk to a trusted friend, fellowship with other believers, and utilize the resources our God has given us.

Here are some additional resources for you:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists

Home