Discover the Book - Jan. 25, 2012

Loneliness of Life - Job Loss

David faced the loss of his job and with it his security and comfort. Everything changes when you lose your job. It is like going from breathing to holding your breath. Everyone else has places to go and things to do—and you have nothing to do and if you went you wouldn't want to spend any money. 

Let’s feel David’s loneliness and then see the solution God showed him and then recorded for our use in this wonderful book—the Bible! 

In First Samuel 21:1-9 as he flees to Ahimelech the priest, David writes Psalm 52—how to overcome the feelings of loneliness when we are out of work. 

This was a big surprise to everyone but God.So recently unemployed for the first time David faces life, looks at his situation and finds the pain that always surrounds such a sudden and unexpected change in everything he had relied upon. Everything but what was most important. 

Some practical steps to overcome loneliness are these: 

       Live with mysteries. We can’t always know why God is allowing circumstances—but we do know we can trust Him to do all things well. Jesus said to His disciples in John 13:7, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”       

       Accept your situation. What is unchangeable must be accepted and lived through by God’s grace. As Paul said, we must echo, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13)        

       Use lonely times to grow. One of the greatest truths we can discover is that lonely times usually accomplish great discoveries about God. David is at the depth of loneliness. He has been on the run for years and now he is hiding in a desolate cave in a crowd of malcontents, feeling very much alone. He has two choices. Stay in the cave of loneliness, descend into self-pity and sin or look up and use the time alone to grow.

Guess what God does? Psalm 142:5-7 is the answer. Why don’t you take a moment and mark these for someone else who may need them someday. Or even for you if you ever feel the twinge of loneliness in your life. Look now and find:

When alone I learn that You alone are my true REFUGE. Psalm 142:5
When alone I learn that You alone are my true PORTION Psalm 1425:
When alone I learn that You alone are my true LISTENER.  Psalm 142:6
When alone I learn that You alone are my true DELIVERER.  Psalm 142:7
When alone I learn that You alone are my true OBJECT OF WORSHIP. Psalm 142:7
When alone I learn that You alone are my truePROVIDER Psalm 142:7

So again we ask ourselves—is Christ my refuge? Is that a personal chosen reality or just a fact I’ve heard? God will rock your boat just to see what you will do. Loneliness is a tool to glorify God, to turn and trust and triumph, and to make some great discoveries about God. 

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