Devotionals for the Heart: Hope for your heart when you feel alone

When You Feel Alone
A devotional by Joy Beless

“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.”—Psalm 25:16-18 (ESV)

Everyone feels lonely at some time in their life.

One of the loneliest seasons of my life was when I moved to the most populated city in the world. Surrounded by bustling crowds, everywhere I went seemed to amplify my loneliness. No one knew my name and I did not know theirs.

Loneliness can sneak up on us in the midst of transitions. Some transitions are physical, such as moving into different communities and churches. Transitions in life’s seasons can also generate feelings of loneliness, such as adult children leaving their home, the breakup of a close relationship, or the death of a loved one. Loneliness is a part of life and an emotion that blankets us without invitation.

According to a 2024 poll by the American Psychiatric Association, “30% of adults have felt lonely at least once a week and 10% say they are lonely every day.” Loneliness sneaks up on us when we do not feel emotionally or socially connected to others—even in their physical presence such as with roommates or a marriage—as well as when we are alone. With the prevalence of working remotely, watching church services online, and family units spread throughout different cities, community and emotional connectedness can be difficult to cultivate and maintain.

The times when I feel lonely and disconnected from others emotionally—and sometimes physically—God meets me in this place of despair. Like King David in the Psalms, we can pour out our hearts to God naming and identifying the specific emotions we are experiencing. The lament of David in Psalm 25 gives the example of naming the troubles of our hearts and offering them to God to carry our burdens. In Psalm 25:1-3, David names these words to describe what he is feeling and facing: lonely, afflicted, troubles, distresses, and sins. We can learn a lesson from this psalm: Our “aloneness” can be an invitation to seek God deeply and honestly. An intimate conversational prayer with God is similar to Psalm 62:8 (NIV) that reads, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”

As we sort out the specifics of our circumstances that contribute to our feelings of loneliness, consider how God can be our refuge. Rather than allowing negative self-talk to cycle through our thoughts, we can picture ourselves curled up safe with God in His arms. We must remember that He is our shelter (Psalm 91:1). As we listen to God, is He guiding us to a truth about our situation or an action to take in our circumstances? Is there a place of wounding God desires to be present with us and bring healing? Perhaps the name of a person surfaces in this sacred space so that we can reach out and talk through what seems to be a wound or hurt in this time of need.

I remember praying to find a heart friend, day after day. I decided to pray “big” for a friend within walking distance of this big foreign-to-me city. At the same time, another woman was also praying the same prayer, and through circumstances, we reached out to each other. Not allowing our different nationalities to stand in the way, we became lifelong friends and sisters-in-Christ. Paul encourages us through the letter to the church in Corinth, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us (2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT).”

Aloneness is an opportunity to look to the Triune God: Our Heavenly Father (God) who created us in his image, Jesus Christ (God’s Son and our Savior), and the Holy Spirit (our counselor and guide). We can see God as the Lover of our soul, our Comforter, and the Giver of peace.

Remember what God says to us in Hebrews 13:5b (ESV): “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” He is with us and present, even in times of loneliness.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for understanding the emotion of loneliness and our need for the scriptures that point us to Your heart of compassion and love. We are grateful You are our place of refuge and comfort. As our society becomes increasingly digitalized, show us how to remain connected to one another as the Body of Christ. Give us the courage to reach out to others who also are struggling with loneliness.

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “You’re Not Alone” by Meredith Andrews. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Joy Beless is a worshipper of God and lover of people. 

A practicing Spiritual Director, she is a speaker for retreats and conferences and facilitates guided solitude retreats at the family ranch in North Texas.

A seasoned worship leader and songwriter, she frequently weaves worship, God’s Word and spiritual practices together. She is a chapel provider for a shelter for the houseless and a certified Grief and Trauma Healing Facilitator. Serving at global retreats for Kingdom-minded women delights her soul.

She has written for Global Trellis and Missio Nexus. She connects God’s Word with the reality of our daily in all the ups and downs.

Joy is married to Roger. They live in Coppell (Texas). Joy is called "JoJo" by her nine adorable grandchildren. She enjoys the outdoors and encourages flowers to grow in the Texas heat.

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Connect with Joy:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joy.beless
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joy.beless/
Website: www.joybeless.org

Devotionals for the Heart: Why Jesus Christ is Our Greatest Treasure

Our Greatest Treasure
A devotional by Sarah Cole

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

—Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

Thrift store shopping is my Achilles heel, the only hobby that, if left unchecked, sends me on a never-ending treasure hunt. My friend Deb understands my predicament. She can shop like there's no tomorrow, provided she honors her husband's wishes by donating unwanted items before stepping foot in the store.

Bargain hunting, like any other addiction, is captivating. All it takes is a designer top, a piece of jewelry, or a unique knick-knack to itch a place inside we can't scratch. But it's only temporary, and the addictive cycle is stuck on repeat.

Idolatry is like that.

Whether it's more likes on Facebook, a lower number on the scale, a promotion, or that attention-getting outfit, we're all hunting for something. None of these pursuits are wrong in and of themselves, but if we're not careful, we can fall for the lie that something or someone other than Jesus Christ can meet our deepest needs.

The bottom line is that we have an enemy (Satan), and his full-time job is to tempt us into chasing anything other than Jesus by giving it first place in our hearts. But what he doesn't mention is that the cost of idolatry is a thirsty soul on the verge of exhaustion.

We all have a God-shaped space inside, and when we try to fill it with anything else, we set ourselves up for disappointment. Because in the eternal scheme of things, Christ is the only One who can satisfy us. Only He deserves our deepest devotion, and His love, peace, and joy are treasures in an inheritance He bought for us when He died on the cross for our sins (1 Peter 1:3-4). As our Savior, He is everything we'll ever need. We've been searching for Him in all the wrong places; we just didn't know it. Yet He's always been there, ready and waiting for us to call on His name.

Friend, if any of this resonates with you, I encourage you to engage in this battle plan:

First, recognize areas where you're most vulnerable to temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Confess anything you've allowed to draw you away from God and ask for His forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

Ask a trusted friend to hold you accountable (James 5:16).

Remember your identity in Christ and how crazy He is about you (Ephesians 1:4-14 and Ephesians 3:16-19).

Put on your spiritual armor before your feet hit the floor (Ephesians 6:11-17).

Spend time with God each day. In addition to Bible study, try out a prayer journal or a coloring book with devotional pages. Or find a prayer partner if you don't have one (Matthew 6:6 and Matthew 6:33).

Ask the Holy Spirit to protect you when you're about to fall prey to one of Satan's traps (Galatians 5:16).

If you're like me, exhausted by chasing the things of this world only to be repeatedly disappointed, it's time to stop spinning your wheels, surrender the counterfeits you've settled for, and exchange them for the greatest treasure of them all: Jesus Christ.

Let's Pray: Father God, this world offers many treasures that can potentially steal me away from You. When these counterfeits captivate my heart, help me remember that only You can meet my deepest needs. In Jesus's Name I pray. Amen.

~*~

Note from Alexis: Sarah's devotional message today reminds me of the song "Treasure" by Meredith Andrews. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Sarah Cole’s interest in writing began in grade school when her poem was published in the local paper. As she got older, her mother’s chronic illness inspired her to design a line of greeting cards. 

Since then, she has written for her college newspaper and two community newspapers where she wrote restaurant reviews and articles for their “Best of” spread.

Her experience as an administrator in the marketing field gave her the opportunity to write ads for a local business journal.

After a 20-year detour and a three-year season of adversity, God reignited her passion to write. Two divine appointments later, the short story she wrote about her father appeared in the St. Paul Almanac, and a short story about her cocker spaniel Gigi was published in Guideposts (magazine) Mysterious Ways. She believes her adversity was worth the lessons God taught her.

During this year (2022) and the next (2023), Sarah’s devotionals will be published in The Secret Place by Judson Press, as well as David C. Cook’s Devotions and The Quiet Hour. To this day, she smiles, pinches herself and gives God all the glory.

When she’s not writing, Sarah enjoys watching cooking shows, designing cards and mugs, and taking day trips.

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Connect with Sarah:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smittyc65
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@SarahCo45835279
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.cole.52

Devotionals for the Heart: Puzzles

God Can Make All the Pieces Fit
A devotional by Glynis Becker

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” 

–Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Over the last year, many of us have taken up new hobbies, or renewed old interests in order to pass the time during quarantine. Some of us have learned to bake bread (I was pleased my own sourdough starter lasted a full six months!), knitted, crocheted, learned to play a musical instrument, started—and probably quit—numerous workout plans, as well as a million other creative things. One of the most popular, it seems, is working jigsaw puzzles. They’ve been sold out at times in stores and online and I read that one puzzle historian compared it to sales during the Great Depression.

I hadn’t done a jigsaw in years, but seeing other people putting together puzzles, spurred me to put on my mask and hit the store. I found a 1000-piece puzzle of a beautiful landscape scene and a puzzle mat and excitedly started working. It didn’t take long to see that I was out of my league! I couldn’t find all the edge pieces. I couldn’t tell the sky from the water and after a few frustrating days, I pulled apart the few pieces I’d put together and threw them back in the box.

Undeterred from my new hobby, I went back to the store for a slightly easier 500-piece puzzle, making sure there were lots of different colors and clear edge pieces. Over the next few weeks I completed that puzzle, as well as one more 500-piece puzzle. I finally felt ready to go back and try that first one again. It was still hard, but I did it and I felt victorious! I’d become a puzzler!

So while I highly recommend jigsaw puzzles if you’re looking for a hobby, this is not an advertisement for this hobby in particular. Because puzzles have given me a lot of quiet time for thinking, meditation, and reflection, I thought I’d pass along a few of the life lessons I’ve learned by spending hours bent over the puzzle table.

These are the lessons I’ve learned:

#1) Trust: I have to trust that the puzzle maker hasn’t left out any pieces and the picture on the box matches the actual puzzle I’m working on. If God has created my life and He knows what it will look like when it’s all over, I must trust Him to have given me everything I need to finish what’s been started. He has never failed before and He won’t start now. (Philippians 1:6)

#2) Patience: A complicated puzzle will probably not be completed quickly. Life can often feel like a jumble of pieces that are taking too long to fit together. God knows what my beautiful masterpiece will look like in the end and He has all the time in the world to create exactly what He wants if I let Him. (Psalm 40:1)

#3) Individuality: Puzzles have unique pieces that only fit together a certain way. God has uniquely suited me to fit a certain time and place and purpose that He laid out for me before I was born. (Ephesians 2:10)

#4) Tenacity: Don’t stop when things get too hard! Although my faith isn’t about me and I can’t do anything to earn God’s love, He wants me to keep showing up to meet Him, keep learning about Him, keep praying even when I don’t feel like it, keep reading the Bible, keep sharing the Good News with the people around me. (Isaiah 40:31)

Bottom Line: Life often gives us pieces that don’t seem to fit, but if we let Him, all together they will create an amazing picture!

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank You so much for the beautiful masterpiece You are creating in my life. I praise You as the Potter, the Artist, and the Musician making something beautiful out of all my broken pieces. Help me continue to come to You, every minute of every day, allowing You to use me for Your glory alone. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. 

P.S._Listen to this song "Pieces" by Meredith Andrews to discover how God can make all the pieces of your life puzzle fit.

~*~
Author Bio:

Glynis Becker writes devotions and inspirational fiction, hoping someday to have a published novel on her resume. 

She has co-written several screenplays, including the film Sinking Sand, available on DVD and digital streaming.

Glynis, whose childhood was spent all over the country as an Air Force brat, has called South Dakota home for many years, along with her husband and two teenage children.

When she’s not writing or reading, she is watching more television than she should and crocheting.

You can find her at www.glynisbecker.com.