Never before has our world been more connected. Wherever we are, we have immediate access to people and information from around the globe (or next door) faster than our fingers can type. From the phones in our hands to the watches on our wrists and the glasses on our faces, we can WhatsApp, Voxer, Marco Polo, and FaceTime … not to mention send a text message or (gasp!) make a phone call. Despite countless tools for connectivity, we find ourselves in the midst of what the United States Surgeon General has declared an “epidemic of loneliness and isolation.”
The ramifications of this epidemic are staggering.
“Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling — it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity. And the harmful consequences of a society that lacks social connection can be felt in our schools, workplaces, and civic organizations, where performance, productivity, and engagement are diminished.”
What the Bible Says about Loneliness and Belonging
Should we be so surprised, though? Belonging — the opposite of isolation — is “a fundamental human need,” woven into the fabric of how God designed humanity. “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone’” (Gen. 2:18). This means the loneliness we feel is more than an epidemic; it’s a devastating consequence of sin, of the reality that our world is not as God created it to be.
In those moments when you feel lonely, do you think about that? Do you think, I really hate sin; look at how far its tentacles reach? Or do you think things like, What is wrong with me? or Why can’t I make friends?
Thankfully, our gracious God’s efforts to restore His broken creation extend into the realm of relationships. In fact, this is one of the promises of the new heavens and the new earth, when all becomes as it should be:
Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God.
Revelation 21:13
Even better, we don’t have to wait until eternity for a taste of this connection. Scripture tells us,
So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household.
Ephesians 2:19
Members of God’s household. Family.
Finding Connection and Welcoming the Lonely
The belonging we so desperately long for isn’t elusive, despite how much it may feel that way for you today. You belong in the family of God. If you’re struggling to feel connected to others today, ask the Lord to open your eyes to opportunities for connection around you. Beyond that, though, ask Him to empower you to step into those opportunities as they show up, fix them if they are broken, and delight in the family you have in Christ.
Perhaps this isn’t a struggle for you — you have relationships you’re incredibly grateful for and feel deeply connected friendships in your life. If this is you, ask the Lord to open your eyes to those around you who are lonely. Ask Him to help you love, care for, honor, support, and spiritually invest in others who are in Christ. And ask for the strength to do the hard and vulnerable work of looking beyond yourself to truly see those around you.
On whichever side of this spectrum you fall, look to Jesus. He shows us what the perfect friend looks like, He knits the family of God together, and He calls you His friend.
Want to learn more about what the Bible says about loneliness and belonging? Get your copy of Friends and Sisters: Belonging and Relating to One Another in the Family of Faith, a new Bible study from Lifeway Women. Plus, check out what the Bible says about true friendship.
Editor’s note: Footnotes have been omitted for clarity.
About Laura Magness
LAURA MAGNESS is a content editor for the Lifeway Women Bible Study team and has worked for Lifeway in a variety of editorial roles since 2008. A graduate of Samford University and Dallas Theological Seminary, she lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, two sons, and a goldendoodle. You can find her writing online for Lifeway Women, Lifeway Adults, Lifeway Research, and smallgroup.com.
