Hey guys I know this may not be the place to put this, but I'm looking for advice and I'm hopeful I will recieve some encouragement here.
I often times feel alone. I know that God is with me and several times in my life it has been His presence alone that I have felt. I have only two people I would consider my friends. They are a couple and so hanging out with them, while fun, often leaves me feeling like a "tag along"/"third wheel". I have a variety of interest. I enjoy sports, being outside, being on the river, playing and listening to music, occassionally reading a good book/ watching a good movie, yet I find myself, it seems all the time, being at home with nothing to do. I know I should get out, but this town I live in doesn't have any place worth going to, if you catch my drift. Also, I just started attending another church and while there are people there my age, we come from two different paths and even there I often feel "alone". Not only that but they don't have any kind of fellowship outside of their worship service, you know something 'extra' to do. I like being active but dread doing things by myself.
I think you're gonna find a lot of people in your boat. I'm pretty much there myself. Get involved is all I can really tell you. I was never really happy with my life until I started working hard at actually becoming the type of man that I would admire, and want to emulate. Myself, I don't really have a Christian circle of friends outside my blood family. But I do find my work with my local V.A. very satisfying. Or maybe pick up a second job? That's a great way to throw yourself into a new social circle. Too much time at home is maddening. Best of luck my man!
I feel your pain. I live in a very small town that is surrounded by other small towns. Haha! There is nothing to do, especially as a Christian. As SWB suggested, I have a full time and part time job and that helps. But it is still lonely sometimes at home. It's been this way for a while. So, I thought, "Hmm..Wonder what God's trying to tell me?". And I came to the conclusion that maybe I needed to use this time to get closer to Him. So, that's what I've been trying to do. And it really doesn't seem so bad! :). I don't get near as lonely as I used to. He really is our comforter!
I have about the same problem as you except I live in like the drug capitol of the world. I have an addictive personality so I don't dare go out to town alone. All the local druggies know me because I used to be one of them.
Anyway, I just learned the visiting hours of our local nursing homes and started going there when I was bored. So many of those people have no one in their lives. I talk with them about anything, pray with them, even bible study with them. It is wonderful and you meet some truly interesting people.
like you and the others here i'm feelin ya too, spend a lot of time in the dungeon (my room under the house here) when not working trying to keep my mind active and reading posts here or with my nose in the good book. the trouble for me is that more times than not we get the call for jobs to be done and they run in to the same times that there is a bible study or even church on sunday... so atleast being here for me for the time being the spirit gets fed and get to have some Christian companionship with you all. chins up folks!
oh...and meant to say also that i'm not a total recluse, i get out fishin and see my kids and family too every chance i get but try and stay away from those certain places and things that could get a feller like me into trouble you know? in all the avoiding trouble still seems to find me sometimes though... lol Lord have mercy!
I have decided this year to try and get more in tune with God, you know build my relationship with him. And it has definitely helped me in my "loneliness", but I think just having that companionship with others is what's really missing. I will also say that when I am in the Word or in prayer with God, I don't feel that loneliness, its the other times I feel alone and bored and restless.
Whenever you start feeling restless and all, just start talking to Him. Tell Him how you're feeling and ask Him what He'll have you do to make you feel better.
Don't get me wrong, I believe that God made us to have mates (except for some, like Paul) so we're going to feel like we're missing something, but just think how wonderful it will be when He fills that void with the one He has picked for us!! The low times now will make the good times later even better!! :D
no matter how you feel about life or what changes externally or where you live the rule doesn't change: always do your best to work with what you have. stop looking at what you don't have and start looking at what you do have and choose to be thankful for and enjoy those things instead of being jealous of what you don't have. things can always be worse. that's where joy comes from. happiness isn't a choice so much, but joy is and often times the less ideal the circumstances, simply by contrast, the greater the potential for joy is if you'd just look for and choose it. recently i've started keeping a journal where i retell the things i loved about that day. if that day was my last, what would i miss about it before i go to sleep? what made me happy, laugh, feel good or loved? since keeping track of that, it's changed my whole perspective and i've been able to live in the moment not worrying about the past or future and i highly recommend it. it's like in my head there's this undeveloped film, and i go through and develope the pictures i want to keep and save them to look back on and take comfort in.
since doing that the question: "hmmm... what shall i do today?" and then start ruminating on all the things i could possibly do and picking one, has become really fun and even exciting.
