We all want to go where everybody knows our names. We want to feel loved and cared for. We want to know we matter to others. There are so many times in life when we feel alone, or that no one understands our pain. The truth is we are never alone.
It’s easy for the stresses in life to leave us feeling isolated and alone even with people around us. When this happens to me, I tend to pull away rather than reach out. I tend to retreat into my head making to do lists and fixing all the problems around me. I don’t speak them out loud. Sometimes they come out sideways at my kids and hubby. Sometimes I let small fractions of what I’m feeling out just enough to keep the pressure under control.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121: 1-8 NIV).
This scripture grounds me. It reminds me that God is with me even when I try to isololate myself. God is with me when I retreat into my thoughts. He reminds me that I am never alone. He watches over me and is my shade. He even reminds me that keeping it in and isolating myslef is not a healthy way to handle the stress.
There is comfort in knowing He’s there even when I feel alone. There is comfort in knowing that He is paving a way through the stress. There is comfort in knowing that when I retreat, He pulls me forward. I am never alone.
What do you do when you feel alone, stressed and wanting to retreat? Where does your comfort come from? Do you know that you are never alone? Share your experience here and breathe life and bring hope to others.