Loneliness

March 1, 2023

“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.  Like one from
whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” Isaiah 53:3
 
The dictionary defines loneliness as “being without company…producing a feeling of bleakness or desolation.”  Most, if not all of us, have experienced loneliness to some degree at some time in our lives.  It can be a very dark place and a difficult emotion to bear.  But no matter what we have been through, it can’t begin to capture the loneliness Jesus endured the last hours of His life on earth. He went from one degree of abandonment, rejection, and betrayal to the next:  abandonment of disciples who were too tired to stay awake and pray, the betrayal of Judas with a kiss, everyone deserting Him and fleeing as

He was arrested, betrayal of those who lied about Him before the Sanhedrin, the rejection of the crowd yelling, “Crucify him!” and Peter denying he even knew Him.  He marches alone up to Golgotha and is surrounded by a mocking, jeering crowd – no supports to help Him, no prayer group to pray for Him – alone.

Then the worst loneliness of all as the sins of humanity were placed upon Jesus and God had to separate Himself from His sin-filled Son and forsake Him.  This had to be the worst torment of all that Jesus endured.  He and the Father were one and now He was truly alone.
 
When you are going through the dark night of the soul, when loneliness lies heavy on you like a shroud and it feels like no one understands the pain of abandonment and rejection or the depth of your loneliness, remember you know one who has walked the road before you and understands completely.  He will never leave you alone.  He will enable you to endure and will eventually bring you into the light so that your soul is filled with hope and joy once more.
 
Prayer:
Thank you, Jesus, for enduring suffering that is beyond our comprehension so that we can be assured that we are loved unconditionally and will never be alone.  Amen.