Lonely
The loneliness of this dormant tree, cut off and bare, separate from the landscape around it, pictures a necessary affliction, an often beneficial step of separateness on our pilgrimage into constant conversation with God.
Jesus once asked,
Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” [Who are my friends?] Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother! Matthew 12:48-50 NLT
More than once I’ve had to choose between obeying God and pleasing my family or friends. Sometimes, that choice filled me with great joy. Sometimes, for a season, it wrenched or I was lonely.
In my loneliness, I learned that loneliness is a feeling, not a fact. At times, loneliness may even be a demonic spirit. Apart from those moments on the cross when Jesus cried out,
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark 15:34 NIV
He was never lonely when alone.
The choice is mine. Do I feed my thought life with loneliness or do I feed it with the truth that our Father in Heaven is omnipresent and that my Lord and friend and Savior Jesus Christ and the dear Holy Spirit are with me.
My guardian angel is also near, and perhaps also the invisible cloud of witnesses Paul mentions in Hebrews 12:1. It’s also true that while I live, the memories of all who have ever loved me and all whom I have ever loved continue to live on in my heart. Another truth is that at any time I can reach out to loved ones who live in distant states and countries by asking God to touch them, to bless them, and to meet their needs.
Yes, the loneliness of this tree, cut off and bare, separate from the surrounding landscape, is a necessary affliction. It’s a step of separation, an often difficult teaching season in learning to connect with others and to abide in Jesus. Loneliness calls us into community. It also invites us to practice His Presence and gives us opportunities for constant conversation with and communion with God.
