Combat Loneliness | Emotions
November 5, 2023
EMOTIONS
Combat Loneliness…
LONELINESS DEFINED:
Psalm 25:16-17 (ESV) 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.
Loneliness: (APA, American Psychological Association) the affective and cognitive discomfort or uneasiness from being or perceiving oneself to be alone or otherwise solitary.
Loneliness: the mental or emotional discomfort you may experience from either being alone or feeling as though you are alone.
Feelings are indicators not dictators. Lysa TerKeurst
Feelings are great servants but terrible masters. Kris Valloton
“Nearly 3 in 5 U.S. adults are lonely.”
Psalm 34:18 (NLT) 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
2 Timothy 4:16 (ESV) 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!
Matthew 27:46 (ESV) 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Genesis 2:18 (ESV) 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
SOUL TATTOO: We’re better together.
Genesis 2:22-23 (ESV) 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV) 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
LONELINESS DEFEATED:
Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
"I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Serve one another. Galatians 5:13
Show hospitality to one another. 1 Peter 4:9
Be kind to one another. Ephesians 4:32
Encourage one another. 1 Thessalonians 4:18
Carry one another’s burdens. Galatians 6:2
SOUL TATTOO: We’re better together.
LONELINESS DISCOVERED:
Three basic things in life:
1. We want to be loved.
2. We want to be understood.
3. We want to be needed.
Romans 12:15 (NIV) Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
1 Corinthians 12:26 (NIV) If one part suffers, every part suffers with it…
Hebrews 3:13 (NIV) But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT) 12A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. If you find yourself LONELY:
Combat Loneliness…
LONELINESS DEFINED:
Psalm 25:16-17 (ESV) 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.
Loneliness: (APA, American Psychological Association) the affective and cognitive discomfort or uneasiness from being or perceiving oneself to be alone or otherwise solitary.
Loneliness: the mental or emotional discomfort you may experience from either being alone or feeling as though you are alone.
Feelings are indicators not dictators. Lysa TerKeurst
Feelings are great servants but terrible masters. Kris Valloton
“Nearly 3 in 5 U.S. adults are lonely.”
Psalm 34:18 (NLT) 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
2 Timothy 4:16 (ESV) 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!
Matthew 27:46 (ESV) 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
- You have needs in your life and no one to meet them.
- You have hurts to share and no one to listen to them.
- You have love to give and no one to receive it.
Genesis 2:18 (ESV) 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
SOUL TATTOO: We’re better together.
Genesis 2:22-23 (ESV) 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV) 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
- God didn’t create us because He was lonely.
- God created us because He is love.
- The first-century believers desperately needed each other, and they knew it.
- Believers today desperately need each other, and they have forgotten it.
LONELINESS DEFEATED:
Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
"I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
- A gathering of grace.
- A gathering of healing.
- A gathering of mission.
Serve one another. Galatians 5:13
Show hospitality to one another. 1 Peter 4:9
Be kind to one another. Ephesians 4:32
Encourage one another. 1 Thessalonians 4:18
Carry one another’s burdens. Galatians 6:2
SOUL TATTOO: We’re better together.
LONELINESS DISCOVERED:
Three basic things in life:
1. We want to be loved.
2. We want to be understood.
3. We want to be needed.
- I need people who will care for me.
Romans 12:15 (NIV) Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
1 Corinthians 12:26 (NIV) If one part suffers, every part suffers with it…
- I need people who will encourage me.
Hebrews 3:13 (NIV) But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
- I need people who will partner with me.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
- I need people who will protect me.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT) 12A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. If you find yourself LONELY:
- You have a friend in Jesus.
- Find your family.
- Reach out.