Be Proactive in Conquering Loneliness

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
–Philippians 2:4

This week, we’re learning the ABCs of moving from loneliness to companionship. A stands for Acknowledge your feelings of loneliness. Be honest with yourself and with God.

B stands for Be proactive in conquering loneliness. Don’t sit around and wait for companionship to find you.

You may need to start by looking inward. What’s keeping you from pursuing companionship? It could be poor self-image. Maybe you think, I don’t deserve to have friends, or, Who would want to spend time with me? If your view of yourself is keeping you from reaching out to other people, remember Ephesians 2:10: “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” The Greek word translated as “workmanship” is poiema, from which we get our English word poem. Do you realize you are God’s poem? You are the expression of God Himself, and everything about you was foreordained by Him.

Maybe the issue is not self-image but selfishness. You might think you don’t have time for other people. But the Bible commands us to meet one another’s needs just as Jesus Christ did for us. Philippians 2:4 says, “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Companionship is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Whatever the source of your loneliness, be proactive and reach out to other people. That doesn’t mean everybody you meet is going to become a close friend; we need acquaintances and casual friends too. But the best place to find close friends who will encourage you is the church. Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” How do we keep from wavering? The writer continued, “And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another” (vv. 24–25). There are real spiritual benefits to be gained from finding companionship within the body of Christ.

Today’s devotion is adapted from “Moving from Loneliness to Companionship,” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2021.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.