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Loneliness

Perhaps the best illustration of the growing condition of loneliness is the establishment of a governmental ministry to address the problem in the UK. Satan sets the course of the world and to achieve his desire to rule the whole world, he has had to advance collectivism so that he can leverage his influence. This required people to be disconnected from their families and used as “cogs” (components) in the organizations and collectives he established. This mechanical usage provides little of benefit to the basic human need for relationship.

Satan has provided a wealth of entertainment and diversions to help fill the time and so distract people from the relational void in their lives.

When Adam chose to follow his own way apart from God, God made life for humans difficult. This was not meanness on God’s part as it was for our benefit. The difficulties in life forced us to work together and strengthened families. When Satan introduced electrical and petroleum power to replace muscle power, life became much more prosperous. Just as with the aristocracy of the past, prosperity allows the worst aspects of human nature to emerge. The consumer culture shows the extent to which our natural selfishness is manifest.

Selfishness is antithetical to relationships. A fiction writer once in talking about collaborative writing said that as long as each person thinks he is doing 80% of the work and is OK with it, it will work. In a prosperous society those who have fame, wealth, or are entertaining will have “friends”. However, if someone feels they are giving 80% into the relationship and not getting much in return, relationships wither. In a selfish society relationships are sought for superficial reasons such as wealth, popularity, and physical appearance.

Perhaps the deepest relationship one can have is in marriage. However, making a selection based on superficial criteria often makes for a lifetime of regret. A person can foster a deep desire and see in another only the relection of their own desire. However, time tends to expose reality and one can pay a very high price for self-deception.

The relationship between parents and children has also become very thin. In less prosperous times a child’s family was essential for his survival. Today the more quickly one can jettison his family, the sooner he is free to soar to whatever heights he expects to encounter. This might be seen with most teenagers attempting to avoid being seen when out with their parents.

Perhaps it is only after the first flush of youthful expectations that one begins to feel the pangs of loneliness. With Christians, one can find that spiritual growth also contributes to loneliness as few others are like-minded. The answer to this is sufficiency in Christ. Our life in this world is relatively short. While we might wish for fellowship and relationship with others, we have work right in front of us ministering to other Christians as best we can.

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. - 2 Corinthians 5:15

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