Sit with Your Loneliness

Lord, You who never leave nor forsake us, teach us to see even our loneliness as an invitation into deeper fellowship with You. Quiet the noise within and around us so that we might hear Your voice in the stillness. Give us courage to sit, not run, and to find You in the empty spaces. Amen.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18

A friend once told me that after moving to a new city for ministry, she felt an ache she couldn’t explain. She poured herself into work, filled her schedule with meetings, and scrolled endlessly through social media — but the ache remained. One night, overwhelmed, she turned off all screens and sat quietly in her small apartment.

In the silence, she whispered to God, “I’m lonely.” Tears came. But so did a deep awareness that God was there — not to take the loneliness away instantly, but to meet her in it. Over time, that space of quiet became her sanctuary, where she learned to listen and receive.

Loneliness is not something most of us invite in. We run from it with busyness, hide from it with distractions, or numb it with noise. Yet Ruth Haley Barton reminds us that if we dare to sit with our loneliness — without rushing to fill the gap — we may discover a profound gift: the presence of God in the quiet.

In ministry and leadership, loneliness often shows up uninvited. Even when surrounded by people, we can feel unseen, misunderstood, or apart. Barton calls us to resist the urge to immediately “fix” that discomfort. Instead, she invites us to let loneliness become a holy meeting place — a space where God shapes our soul.

Loneliness can strip us of the false comfort of self-reliance. It exposes our deep need for God. It reminds us that our truest identity is not in our role, our relationships, or our productivity — but in Christ alone.

Application

• Pause before you fill the silence. When you feel lonely, resist the immediate impulse to distract yourself. Breathe and acknowledge your feelings before God.

• Name it in prayer. Tell the Lord honestly: “I am lonely.” He already knows, but your naming opens the door for intimacy.

• Let loneliness deepen your empathy. As you experience your own longing, you become better able to walk with others in theirs.

• Remember that Jesus knows loneliness. He was abandoned by friends, misunderstood by crowds, and yet He communed deeply with His Father.

Lord, help me to welcome the moments of loneliness as holy invitations. Teach me to sit in the quiet without fear, to see that I am never truly alone because You are here. May this sacred solitude form me, deepen me, and draw me into the heart of Your love. Amen.

Gospel Songs for Reflection

1. Psalm 23 - I Am Not Alone // Josue Avila // LIVE WORSHIP // Calvary Orlando

2. Never Alone – Tori Kelly ft. Kirk Franklin

3. Draw Me Nearer – Fanny Crosby (classic hymn version)