Quarantined And Alone

You thought you were lonely before. Now, this quarantine. Many Bible characters could identify with you. Jesus spent a lot of time alone, and he knew the pain of feeling all alone in the world.God cares for you and how you are feeling right now. But he also has answers, and there are some things that you can do in the middle of this to help. But you have to be committed to following through.

• Start by viewing your situation differently. There are people who crave the kind of solitude that you have right now. And being free from responsibilities that go along with relationships, you have an opportunity to accomplish some really good things. So your first step in overcoming loneliness, is to see the opportunity in your situation. If you don’t start with this change in thinking, you won’t make the other steps.
• Turn this over to God. Talk to him about the feelings you are struggling with, but tell him that you are willing to go through whatever he has for you. Then ask him for wisdom and direction.
• Use your time wisely. You might think you have too much time on your hands, but whatever time you have, it will be gone. This, too, shall pass. Wasting time is depressing. So don’t waste it by wallowing in your loneliness. Turn the TV off, and be careful not to use it as a substitute for relationships. Instead, play music and become a reader.
• Find a cause and pour yourself into it. That might sound impossible, but if you ask God for direction, he will point you in the right place. If you are healthy and able to run errands for those at risk, that would be a wonderful way to bless others and be Jesus to them. If you are at risk yourself, there are other things you can do. Hand write letters to prisoners or soldiers stationed overseas.
• Be others-oriented. I know, again, that may seem impossible to do, but you can. Forget about your feelings of loneliness, and replace them with a focus on the needs of others. If you don’t have a prayer list for family, neighbors, and church family, then start one and be faithful to it. Leave notes for the mailman and other delivery people. Take the initiative to FaceTime family and friends (if you do not know how to do that, there are people at church who would be happy to talk you through setting that up).

When talking on the phone or FaceTiming others, see your interactions as opportunities to be a blessing, rather than a way of overcoming your own loneliness. If you appear needy or desperate for friends, people will cut your calls short or not answer. Instead, encourage and be uplifting. Ask questions and be interested in their lives, rather than trying to get them to be interested in yours.God cares about you and he knows how you are feeling. This quarantine will someday be over. In the meantime, use wisdom to make the best of it. But more importantly, look to the Lord for your fulfillment, and trust him completely no matter what.