Both loneliness and intimacy were portrayed in the life of Christ when He walked on earth. Consider these Scriptures that depict those elements.
- He had constant union and communion with His Father but frequently withdrew to lonely places to pray. “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” John 8:29 NKJV “Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” John 6:15 NKJV
- Jesus knew who He was, where He came from, and where He was going. He was secure in His identity and in His Father’s love. “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.” John 13:3-4 NKJV
- Although He had intimacy with the Father, He still desired and sought after human companionship and understanding. When praying alone, He sometimes desired for His disciples to come alongside Him for encouragement and support. “Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.” Mark 6:31-32 NLT
- Christ’s greatest moment of loneliness was the cross. There is no degree of human loneliness that Christ has not experienced, which makes Him a compassionate Intercessor for us. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46 NKJV
When Jesus walked on earth, He showed us principles of self-disclosure. In a previous devotional, Loneliness: A Key to Intimacy Part III, I shared 10 observations of how Christ revealed Himself while on earth. (https://www.heartlandfw.org/loneliness-a-key-to-intimacy-part-iii/). The following are 7 applications of these principles for our own lives.
- Watch and pray for those who have a heart to know you. See who the Father is drawing to you.
- Disclose yourself according to the level of understanding of you that person has already displayed.
- Develop various circles of friendships and associations.
- Attempt to communicate in such a way that the other party understands you, but know that frustration may set in if that person is just not getting it.
- Don’t go out of your way to explain yourself to those who really don’t care to know you.
- It is desirable to be exclusive in some of your conversations.
- Full and complete disclosure does not lend itself to intimacy. There is no such thing as “sudden intimacy.” It typically comes gradually and progressively.
Loneliness has always been a part of the human condition since the fall of man, and knowing God intimately does not prevent us from having seasons of intense loneliness. During those times, it may seem as though we are not well connected with God or anyone. But if we press in to God, He will bring us through into greater seasons of intimacy and union with Him and fruitfulness in our lives.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24 ESV
~ Janet Mueller, writer
~ Cathy Schrock, mixed media artist and creator of “Unity”
