Isolation free

Being alone doesn’t have to be a lonely situation.

The truth is that we’re never alone. We may feel isolated, but we only see what we see with our natural eyes, and, if we see no one else for a period of time we will consider ourselves neglected, or abandoned.

But there is a spiritual dimension around us as well as a natural world. Christians are promised that God will never leave them nor forsake them (Heb.13:5-6). We have been given the Holy Spirit as our Comforter, Counsellor, Strengthener and Helper. He is our Defence. God is with us.

Even unbelievers are surrounded by dark spiritual forces. They probably don’t know it, but they are called the children of disobedience by the Apostle Paul–children who are led by the god of this world, the opposer of the brethren.

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Ephesians 2:1-3

You see how there is a spirit at work in unbelievers. They are not alone. They are led into sinful thoughts and activities, and, in some ways, are unable to help themselves, because they are still subject to the sin nature.

Believers, also, have a Spirit at work in them. The Holy Spirit. If we are truly His–sons and daughters of God through faith in Jesus–then we are all given the guarantee of the Spirit in our lives to lead us and guide us into all the truth.

Consider the ApostlePaul who wrote some of his epistles from prison. There is not greater isolation than to be imprisoned for your beliefs. Yet Paul knew that he was not isolated from God. He wrote letters that are with us to this day, still encouraging the saints even down through the ages. He did not see himself s being alone in his cell. He saw us. He saw the Church. We are never separated from one another.

Think of Jesus on the cross. He was nailed to that tree and surrounded by enemies, yet we are told that He willingly went to this death because He saw us. He cried out to God, saying, “Why have you forsaken Me?”

Yet He knew that it was important to suffer this level of separation and isolation because it was an eternal separation that we deserved because we sinned against God’s will. He took it on Himself on our behalf so that we would not have to suffer it.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

He saw ahead. He saw us. He was not alone, even in the desperation of the crucifixion. ‘For the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross.’ We are His joy. He died so that we could live.

You are not alone. Sometimes we feel alone, but in those moments remember that the unseen realm of the Spirit is right here with us.