Loneliness - Psalm 16

Sermon Notes: Loneliness - Psalm 16

Overcoming our fear of loneliness and our fear of being so alone in this world.

There are many different reasons that people struggle with loneliness, and there are many circumstances and situations in life that can leave us feeling lonely.

Wasn’t it Jesus who said in Hebrews Chapter 16, ‘I will never ever leave you nor forsake you says the Lord.’

Psalm 16: ‘I know the Lord is always with me, I will not be shaken no matter what happens in my life, for he is right beside me.’

Question: If God is here, if His presence is near us, how come we don’t always feel His presence? There are times in our lives when we need God’s presence, and need to really experience His presence.

1: I need to remind myself that God is right here with me even when I feel lonely and so alone.

The Beatles sang a song that asked: ‘All the lonely people where did they all come from.’ Even back then people recognised that our world is full of lonely people. There are so many lonely people, maybe it’s that person sitting beside you, or standing talking to you at a bus stop or in a shop. You and I have no idea of the hurts and pain in people’s hearts. You and I may have no idea how they simply need someone to love them, to care, to reach out, someone just to smile at them.

How easy it can be for us to be used by God to reach out and touch people’s lives with God’s love and God’s care.

Lovely promise from God, ‘Do not be afraid for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God.’

That’s the kind of God that He is! He is a God who is with us, a God who cares for us. Here’s another promise: ‘I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will hold you up with my strong right hand.’

God never ever abandons us, God never does that!

Question: Do you believe those promises even when you feel so numb, and even when you may not feel his presence may.

2: I need to remember God is right here with me even in the darkest nights and the darkest times that I go through.

Question: When do people feel their loneliest the most? At night time. The nights are always the hardest.

Question: How many nights have you felt so alone? Psalm 4: ‘In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.’

That’s God’s promise when you feel alone at night and you’re going through a dark period. What a different God’s presence makes when you walk through that dark time in your life!

3: I need to remember that God is right here with me when I feel so down hearted, and so broken hearted.

Sometimes when you need God the most you feel God the least. But that’s nothing to do with God, it is our feelings, emotions and the numbness we feel inside that makes us feel nothing, not even God’s presence. David said in Psalm 16, ‘I keep the Lord before me.’ In other words, I deliberately focus upon Him, I deliberately keep my eyes fixed upon Him. I remember that God is with me. Psalm 34, ‘The Lord is close to the broken hearted, he rescues you when you are crushed inside.’ (If you let Him!)

4: I need to remember that God is right here with me, when I am going through a really difficult and lonely time in my life.

Going through difficult times in our lives is unavoidable, all of us go through them. But, what is our action plan?

‘Do not be afraid for I have ransomed you, I have called you by your name and you are mine. So when you go through deep waters and great troubles I will be with you.’

The Psalmist says the one thing he really wants to know is; ‘the presence of the Lord, to enjoy a relationship with the Lord.’

Being aware that God is with you always, whether you feel His presence or not, is the first step in combating loneliness. Yes, we will have our share of lonely times in the weeks, months and years ahead. But, Jesus has promised to be with us! Romans 8, ‘Nothing in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’