Daily Devotional

OVERCOMING LONLINESS BY REJOICING IN OTHERS

December 13

y Friend, are you experiencing loneliness even when you are in a crowd of people? Sometimes this loneliness can create in the mind of the child of God a negative attitude and silent anger toward the Lord of Heaven. Without knowing it the child of the King sets up a subconscious resistance toward other people due to their resentments toward them. This resentment silently drives others away. They sense a negative spirit and projection and don’t want to associate with that person. What can you do? Child, you can pray in this manner, “Father, I did not realize that I was feeding my own loneliness and warning people away through my negative behaviors. I pray that you will forgive me, and direct my thoughts toward you and your grace to deliver me from this “cloud” around me. Father, you say in your word, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” (Hebrew 13:5b) I have not allowed your holy presence to be enough for me. Forgive me and release me from this spirit of loneliness, and instead of complaining, I will fight back by declaring myself to be a friend to the friendless and lonely around me. I have felt sorry for myself for so long that I have forgotten that there is a world of others who need my compassion and love in their loneliness and isolation. Forgive me Father, and I will reach out to you and to others, in Jesus’ name!” You see child of God, you have the power to break out of that lonely world if you again realize that “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) You give yourself to others who suffer, and the Father will give the Holy Spirit of companionship to you. After all, who is the greatest companion, comforter, peace-giver, lover of your soul, deliverer from loneliness, and blessing-giver in the universe? Your Father of course! Get with the program! Get up from the place where you are, and in the name of Jesus go find another person who is hurting and give them something--- anything that will be a blessing to them! You are greatly loved by your Father!

Prayer

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Father, I have restricted you from blessing me. I have voiced my complaint for so long and so persistently that I have begun to feel sorry for myself and collapse into a world of fear, negativism and self-centered living. There are others around me that I have been neglecting. Not after today! In the name of Jesus, I will turn upward toward you and outward toward others in need and touch the lives of hurting people with my own love and blessings. In this I will discover the true face of the Lord Jesus! Thank you, Father, in the name of Jesus, amen!