Have you ever felt so alone that it led you to despair? In times like these, our minds can focus so much on loneliness that we give Satan a foothold in our minds. This is when we need to focus on the truth of God’s word. When we have Jesus in our hearts we are never alone. If we cling to His truths taught in scripture His Holy Spirit will convince us, I am not alone.
In Exodus 17:9, we see Joshua as a servant soldier to Moses. Moses told him to choose men to go and fight with Amalek. Joshua obeyed and God gave them the battle. In Deuteronomy 31:6 God had already assured Moses of what was going to happen. Now Moses is passing the authority to Joshua and convincing the people that God will not forsake them, they will never be alone.
Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Later, Joshua was chosen by Moses to be one of the 12 to spy out the land. In Numbers chapter 14 Joshua, Caleb, and the other 10 had returned from spying out the land. Ten of the spies were scared and wanted to linger in the wilderness, but Joshua and Caleb saw the great opportunities that God was making available to them. Yet, the people rebelled against them. I am sure there was a sense of loneliness as they tried to convince others of what God had revealed to them, but they knew God had brought them to this place for a purpose that would glorify Him. They were ready to push forward regardless of how others felt.
Numbers 14:6-9 “And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.”
In Joshua chapter 1, God is commissioning Joshua to lead His people. Moses had died and Joshua was to lead them into the promised land. As a result of his obedience, God honored him to be the next leader of His people. God assures him in Joshua 1:5 and 1:9 that he will be with him and help him. He would never be alone.
Joshua 1:5 “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Joshua 1:9 “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goes.”
God is the same today as He was in the Old Testament. In Malachi 3:6 God says, “For I am the LORD, I change not.” And in Hebrews 13:8 we are taught that “Jesus Christ” is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” That is a promise from God and God always keeps His word. We can rest on the truth that He does not change. Circumstances change, people change, and we change, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, but we can trust God. He said He will never leave us, and He won’t. However, we can walk away from Him. If today, you are lonely or discouraged run back to God. Seek His truths in His word and do not allow Satan to cause you to doubt. We have many promises in the Bible from God to us and we need to cling to those.
In Psalm 23:4 we are taught that even in death He is with us. We have no reason to fear.
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
In John 16:32-33, Jesus said “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Jesus said he was forsaken by men, but the Father was with Him. The same is true for us, but we have the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
When He is our Savior, we will never be alone. We must not allow the ideology of this world to convince us otherwise. Though we may long for human company, it must never be a substitute for the true presence of God. He must be the one that truly satisfies our soul, the one we know loves us, the one who loved us so much He sacrificed His Son for us. The Trinity all know how we feel and what we need. Our innermost thoughts are open to them. Let your loneliness be comforted by them.
