Good evening. I am serving as guest host for the devotional this evening, but accidentally deleted the prayer list. I'm sure you will forgive me.
This thought was weighing heavily on my mind. I hope it weighs on all of us the way it does on the Lord.
There are few emotions that have such a devastating effect as loneliness. Being alone in the world without a true friend feels like your soul is being crushed. Psychologists and therapists both agreed that loneliness is an Pandemic of its own!
Recently, a survey of 1,876 Christians found that 1 in 4 participants reported feeling lonely, at least three or more days per week.
1 in 3 participants never or rarely feel like they belong to a group of friends.
And HALF of all participants feel lonely at least one day a week.
Those were very disturbing statistics – and definitely alarming, if we're being honest. .
Perhaps you weren't aware that so many of us feel so disconnected and alone. Consider this: If 1 in 3 of us reading this devotional feel they don’t belong to a group of friends, wouldn't that be too many? Shouldn't that get and keep our attention long enough to do something about changing that?
Okay...perhaps you're throwing up your arms in confusion (and you might not admit this to yourself, but there's a little defensive there, too). 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏻♂️ Maybe you're asking what this has to do with you, since to be fair, we're not all mental health professionals. Well, unless you're a Christian, it has nothing to do with you and you should just scroll to the end and have a good night. But...if you ARE a Christian and you endeavor and CLAIM to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, then by profession (not the mental health professional kind), then you should earnestly want to love people and make a difference in their lives.
Let me tell you why this SHOULD MATTER to every Christian: The same survey results also told us that loneliness increases the likelihood of experiencing depression by 15% and increases the likelihood of anxiety by 13%. Loneliness also increases blood pressure, heightening the risk of stroke and heart disease. Experts tell us chronic loneliness can also make us susceptible to disease and even shorten our lifespan.
And PAY ATTENTION: Loneliness affects the young, the old, and everything in between. Rich? Not immune. Poor? I don't even need to say it. Education level, annual income or even zip code is irrelevant.
But again...what does this have to do with YOU, ME -THE CHURCH? We were created to help break the cycle of loneliness. When the church moves beyond a weekly service and FIGHTS to love and care for people, God gets involved in that. God isn't only looking for health care workers, though he abundantly blesses or Healthcare Heroes!!! He's looking to invest in People Care workers. That's you and me, when we are willing to care for lonely and lost people We are involved in the most important Business of the church. When we care about people - GENUINELY care about people, God works through us to break down walls. He empowers us to let in the light into once dark places. He fills us with His own brand of caring and compassion so that set can help bring healing into broken people's lives.
Please don't get me wrong. We need health care workers more today than ever before. They truly are sent from God. We'd be lost without them. The thought itself is unimaginable!!!
But the world also desperately needs People Care Workers. God depends on them to remind lonely people that they are not alone. That God is always there. And that because God is always there, the church is always there.
I pray that you, like me, will endeavour to become a passionate People Care Worker,
Starting tonight. I know the Lord is impressing you to reach out to someone. There's a name. Who is the spirit pressing on your heart?
I look forward to reading about what this People Care Workers Movement looks like at the church who invented Weeks of Love!
May God inspire and empower each of you to end the pandemic of Loneliness facing those around you, even in the church.