Why Are We Feeling Lonely? | Contemporary Service

“Why Are We Feeling Lonely?” Various Scripture 1/12/2025

Quotes
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. --Revelation 21:4

“Loneliness is a mix tape of humanity’s least favorite emotions: sadness, isolation, emptiness, anxiety, longing, despair, boredom, and a sense of being overlooked or forgotten. Smush those emotions into a ball, toss them into the warm, dark, moist environment of the human psyche, and what grows will be loneliness. Loneliness is a steady drip, drip, dripping of psychic pain. Loneliness feels like a sad clown handing you a balloon filled with heartache.” –Kate Gaston

Discussion
1. How familiar were you of the “myths of loneliness”?

- Only old people are lonely.
-- Loneliness is cured by social skills
Loneliness is a result of something bad,
and therefore no one should have to experience it.
--Loneliness ends when you get married or make friends.
2. “Loneliness Defined and Defeated” was Point #1. What did you think and feel as you thought on the definition:Loneliness is a state of mind characterized by a gap between what we want or expect from our relationships or social interactions and what we experience. --U. of Chicago
3. “Dealing with Loneliness” was Point #2. We looked at both unhealthy and healthy ways of dealing with L’liness. Did you think of other examples of the two categories? Where have you observed yourself: seeking to numb your feelings? allowing pain to point you home?

4. Psalm 56 says: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” How close must one be to catch another’s tears?

5. “Loneliness Destroyed” was Point #3. Whereas now, during this fleeting season of loneliness, we take comfort in Psalm 56:8 -- we also look with hope and longing towards the day of Revelation 21:4, when all our tears are wiped away.

Scripture:
- Romans 8 “we all feel it—the groaning” - Isaiah 53 man of sorrows - Hebrews 4 high priest who can sympathize --Psalm 56:8 bottles our tears - Revelation 21:4 wipe away tears