In today’s episode, the guys discuss loneliness. Statistics show that loneliness is likely to increase a person’s risk of death by 26%, is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day, is worse for you than obesity. Loneliness and social isolation also put individuals at a greater risk of cognitive decline and dementia later in life. To begin, the guys define loneliness as being in a place with no sense of community or companionship. Loneliness and isolation tends to convince a person that they have no value or significance to anyone. It is possible to experience loneliness in a crowded room, or to be completely alone but not experience loneliness at all.

In Genesis, the first declaration made by God was that it was not good for man to be alone, and then he created Eve for Adam. Unfortunately, our isolated modern lives in western culture are designed for loneliness. In place of the community we need as people, our culture has created ineffective substitutes in online communities to fill this void. However, this environment only further isolates us as true companionship and commitment can not be achieved in online relationships. The guys share about times they might feel a tinge of loneliness in their own lives. Everybody out there is frantically trying to create community because we all feel lonely, but the guys point out that there is no substitute for Gospel community.

A big motivating driver for many of us is the fear of being fully known and not loved. This insecurity keeps us from experiencing community. The beauty of the Gospel is that Jesus, God Himself, was forsaken by the very people He came to love and safe. He endured this all for the promise that His children would never be forsaken by God. To be truly known and loved is what we need more than anything, it is a lot like God’s love. The cure to loneliness is remembering that we have Christ, have been accepted into the beloved and finding our true identity in Him. As Christians, we must ensure that we are not replacing the love of Christ with other things. Loneliness is simply a state of mind, and realizing that Christ is with us is the answer in this dark tunnel. For listeners who may be in a stage of loneliness in their life, the guys encourage you to let God be your refuge and cling to Him.