BEING ALONE VS
BEING LONELY
T
BY MONICA BROOKS
here is a vast difference between alone and
loneliness. Loneliness can mean different
things to different people. It is an emotional
state. Loneliness often leads to self-destructive
behavior; such as overeating, alcoholism ,drug abuse,
promiscuity, emptiness, hopelessness and despair. I
convinced myself that no one understood how I was
feeling. As Luther Vandross said, “loneliness is a sad
affair.” Have you ever been around family and friends
and still felt lonely? I have. Most of my adult life was spent
in loneliness, which is why I was depressed most of the
time; and the behaviors I stated above knew me by my
fi rst name. I read a quote from Mark Twain once and it
said “the worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with
yourself.” I didn’t love myself and I was bound by despair.
The good news is I’m no longer there! Alone is a healthy
emotion; I choose to be alone. It’s a place of rest. In the
solitude, GOD confronts the “me in me.”’ I get to commune
with my GOD on levels I could have never dreamed of.
This is where I’m being healed and made whole so that I
can live the abundant life CHRIST promised.
Being alone without being lonely happened for me
when I began to discover I like being with me. I enjoy
the solitude and I’m comfortable with it. I refl ect and
meditate without having to explain or apologize. Being
alone with GOD gives birth to the gift of contentment; and
I’m content to appreciate what GOD has already done for
me. Sometimes it’s like a retreat. I go for long walks in the
park; or even to the beach alone, and I have the peace
that surpasses all understanding; because I’m grateful for
the freedom JESUS gives me. In my solitude I seek GOD
for the answers of my many questions concerning my life;
and wait patiently for the answers. There are times when
I reach out to help others and I volunteer my time. I fi nd
this most rewarding and it also keeps me focused on the
real reason I’m here. I’d like to share one of my favorite
scriptures with you from Romans 8:38-39; the WORD of
GOD reads, For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future,
nor any powers neither height, nor depth, nor anything in
all creation will be able to separate us from the love of
GOD that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What blessed assurance I am never alone!