featuring the painting "Promises"

Because of the onset of a new set of symptoms, I had spent the last 6 weeks bedridden starting about 11:00 AM for the rest of the day. It was boring, unproductive, and scary.

We had a trip planned for a special celebration with our ‘ohana who live in Hawaii. The week before we traveled, I began to face the sad fact that I might not be able to go. The depth of my isolation and loss hit hard as I began to both grieve, and assess what I should do.

However, just a few days before travel, my doctor assured me, though terribly uncomfortable, it was safe for me to travel. So I went. The day arrived, and my symptoms hit again before we even left for the airport. The travel day was…

- the rest of the story -

...long, hard, and miserable. But I made it! I dropped into bed and slept more soundly than I had in a long time.

I awoke and was so worn out from the trip. I spent much of the day on the couch right next to an open window, breathing the fresh island air, mist occasionally coming through the screen and bathing my face. It had been a day of rainbows coming and going, but suddenly, right in front of me, was a huge rainbow. The sight took my breath away and then something happened I had never seen before.

The rainbow sat there, right in front of me, for over two hours! That’s right…TWO hours! The last six weeks I had spent all my effort and thoughts on just surviving each day, but the scents, the feel of the mist and the visual beauty drew my heart back to focusing on God instead of my circumstances. I thought a lot about His promises as I watched that rainbow. The memory of that day is so sweet, of course I had to paint it!

God’s promises speak to the very things we struggle with the most and one of those is feeling forgotten.

When things get difficult and we can no longer live the way we see other people live, we begin to feel more and more alone. Loneliness is unsettling and leaves us with a lack peace.

Have you lost a job or struggle to pay your bills, but friends, family and coworkers all want to go out to eat? I can relate to the isolation this brings.

My second year in college I moved into my first apartment. I was trying to manage financially on a part time job. Rent, utilities, food… I didn’t make enough. My roommates and friends enjoyed late night outings to McDonalds, but I was literally living on bread and peanut butter and milk. I often made excuses and didn’t go with them. That was lonely. When I gave in and did go, I had to make excuses for why I didn’t order. I just said I wasn’t hungry. I think they caught on somewhat as they would tempt me over and over with a chicken nugget or a couple French fries from their orders. One time, someone even ordered an extra cheeseburger and quietly slid it my way. But even then, it was a very isolating feeling as I sat and watched all the hamburgers and Big Macs and fries being consumed.

But maybe for you, it’s being around others and hearing complaints about a week long cold, while you are managing years of pain, or even facing the possibility of your life ending. Or maybe you’ve lost a loved one to death or divorce or you’ve been unable to conceive a child, and every time people talk about family your heart breaks all over again.

Whatever the cause, being socially isolated, even in the midst of a crowd, leaves us feeling so alone. I think we often handle this by withdrawing even further… like when I turned down the invitation to go out with my friends and stayed home…alone. But in the end, that leaves us worse off, because we need companionship. We may find ways to cover it, but if we are really honest with ourselves, loneliness steals the calm peacefulness we all crave in our hearts.

My husband recently served on a Grand Jury, meaning he was gone all day 2 days a week for months. Since he is retired and we are together all the time now, this was quite a change for me. I do like short periods of being alone. There are no interruptions and I can play the music I like, as loud as I like, or I can sit in quiet uninterrupted contemplation with a cup of tea.

But my enjoyment of that alone time only lasted an hour or so each day he was gone. After that I got busy around the house for another couple of hours with music for company. Then, I was ready for him to be home. The problem was the day was only half over and his return was still hours away. I started talking out loud to myself. I felt restless and tired. Though I enjoyed that first hour or two each day, I was very glad when his months on the jury were done.

Loneliness in the midst of difficult times is hard to overcome no matter how strong you are. I have seen this demonstrated in an interesting survival TV show called “Alone”. People are isolated, out in the wilderness ALL alone (no camera crew) trying to survive longer than other people who are isolated and all alone.

These people are put in very challenging situations and have amazing survival skills, but it is so intriguing to see how many of them give up, not because survival is too hard, but simply because they can’t take the isolation any longer. Watching the days leading up to their departure, they become restless like a caged animal, even though they are in wide open wilderness. They begin talking more to themselves and then become listless. The more they think about their loved ones, the worse it becomes until they push that button and tap.

Humans are created with a need for companionship. Our Creator God knows this. He made us like this on purpose because he wants relationship with us and to be our closest companion.

Like the survivalists, we may have the skill and drive to survive, but without companionship we become overwhelmed by the heaviness of loneliness.

I asked some of my family about their current “favorite” promise of God. My daughter (the one walking the dog in the painting) mentioned that she is focused on Immanuel, a name for Jesus, which is so fitting for the way He created us!

Why is it fitting? Because Immanuel means “God with us”. Jesus is a constant, faithful, and reliable companion!!!

In talking about Jesus’ birth Matthew 1:23 says, ‘“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).’ It is referencing Isaiah 7:14 where the same things is said, forecasting the birth of the Messiah.

How powerful is it to know God is always by our side? Imagine if those survivalists had been told that the one who loves them the most was just on the other side of a nearby grove of trees. They couldn’t see them or hug them during the game, but they could call out to each other. Imagine, as each survivalist struggled, they could say loud enough for their loved one to hear, “I’m having a miserable day!” Then, coming back through the trees was their loved ones voice, “You can do this! I love you so much!” I wonder, if this was the case, would any of survivalists have tapped out because of isolation? I’m guessing not.

Companionship is needed for a peaceful heart, and a heart at peace allows the will to fight on!

Even though God wants relationship with us and to be our closest companion, we humans have unfortunately messed that up with sin. The amazing thing is, God didn’t turn his back and give up on us. No! Instead, He sent his perfect son to pay the price for each of our mess-ups. Not only that, he wants our relationship so much, he remains faithfully by our side, waiting patiently for each of us to turn to Him.

No matter why you are isolated and feel lonely, the truth is that you are not alone. Even if you haven’t turned to him yet, Jesus is there. The moment you do turn to him, God’s presence brings an indescribable peacefulness to our lives.

One example of this in the Bible is a criminal being crucified on a cross next to Jesus’ cross. This criminal says to another criminal, “We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he looked at Jesus and said “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And do you know what Jesus answered? “And Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:40-43 NLT)

What peace of mind and heart this criminal died with! He went from guilty criminal being punished, to special companion welcomed into paradise!

All it takes to turn to God, to reestablish the relationship he offers, is first a simple acknowledgment that you have messed up (sinned) like the criminal did. And second, acknowledge that Jesus, as God’s perfect son, died to pay the price for your restored relationship with God. Finish, as the criminal did with a request for that relationship God wants with you, and just like the criminal, Jesus will immediately grant it!

You will then be filled with an amazing peace, because you now have a faithful loving companion…FOREVER!