Tackling the Loneliness Epidemic with Scripture
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The cold wind whipped right through me as I fought my way from my car to the door. “Accurate assessment of the day,” I said to a friend, ready to crawl into my jammies and hit the proverbial “redo” button.
The will of God is to be with us. Our belief in Christ Jesus means the Spirit of the Living God is in us! God – in us!
The global pandemic put a spotlight on our struggle with loneliness, but it was operating in full swing long before we had to stay physically apart from each other. In fact, we were choosing to communicate through touch screens and speaker phones long before the pandemic. God is in us through Christ Jesus. We are never alone. But it is up to us to unplug from our daily distractions and recharge in the presence of His love.
The main channel of communication the Lord uses to encourage us is His Word – Scripture – The Bible. It’s through the Word that He reminds us we are never alone. We, too, can spread the love of His message to those around us. Here are a few simple things we can do daily to be encouraged by the Truth, and reach out to encourage those around us. Be encouraged, and pass it on. We are never alone.
1. Take a picture. Often during my daily time with the Lord, something will strike me which I want to remember, or pass on to one of my daughters or a friend. So, I take a picture of it, or a screen shot. Sometimes I pass it on right then and there to whomever the Lord has laid on my heart to reach out to. Other times He will make evident throughout the day who needs to hear a reminder of His love.
2. Wear it around. In a society full of merch, God’s Word is showing up all over our daily apparel. Donning a shirt with a verse of Scripture or an encouraging word not only reminds us when we look in the mirror, but it allows God’s encouraging word to hit the eyes of others who see us! We many never know who He is lifting up through simple acts of faith.
3. Pass it on. I began putting little Scripture cards in my daughters’ lunch boxes when they got too old for hand written notes with smiley faces on them. It caught on, and they began sharing them and sticking them all over their school. Don’t worry about who to give what card. Faithfully pass them on. The Lord knows what every soul on earth needs to hear and remember.
4. Say it. Speak truth and life over others who border our daily lives. It’s powerful. We don’t need to quote exact pieces of Scripture to be effective in this way. A prayerful, pure heart intent on encouraging others to bring glory to God is the only requirement. When we marinate our own minds in the Word of God, He is faithful to pass it on through us; we need only be willing.
There are many other ways to reach out and encourage others, and be encouraged. I find God by the water’s edge where I live, especially at sunrise or sunset. He is willing to meet us anywhere, through anyone – as long as we are willing to embrace Him. We are never alone. Immanuel, God with us. The Holy Spirit, in us. Take the time to remember those truths and pass them on.
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Only through Christ Are We Made Complete
What It Looks Like to Have a Pure Heart
God Is Not Surprised by Our Unexpected Messes
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