Isolation and loneliness

In my life, I would say that the largest problems I face would be the feeling of isolation and loneliness. We all have our demons and ghosts that haunt and vex us, and these are my two. I have see no reason, except for the alienating effects of sin, for me to feel like I am the only one in the room despite the fact that I am in a large room with a rather copious amount of people. Today I had a rather intense case of this and I have been pushed into thought about it. I was riding in my car listening to the radio and I heard bands sing songs about people who are isolated and dealing with various issues, and I assume that this is no accident but, rather, it was divine providence. I have had to deal with this odd feeling for a long time and it is not an easy thing (As it is with every one and their personal problems). And while the cause of this can be circumstantial or completely random, the answer is always the same. You see, as I was riding along listening to the bands sing about different problems in life, whether it be problems with a girlfriend or parents or general teenage angst, there was always one common thread in every song: there was no answer, no solution to the problem. When man attempts to start from himself as being autonomous, he can never find an answer for his issues. Sure, man will try and try he will, but in the end the only thing left for him is silence and pain. However, I can start from the propositional truth of the Bible and come to substantial healing for my problems. Now I would like to point out the significance of the phrase "Substantial Healing". This is a very important phrase to you and me (If you, my reader, be in Christ) for this phrase accurately describes the state of a Christian in this world. The phrase avoids pessimism, for there is real healing going on in time and space, or in other words there is true healing now. The Christian's hope is not entirely in the next world, we can experience the blessing of Christ now. However, the use of the word "substantial" as the adjective in the phrase establishes what may be called Christian Realism. Let me submit to you that Christianity does not offer "total" healing in this life, but it does offer "substantial" healing. Life is never going to be perfect until we are glorified. Indeed, even our salvation is not completed in one sense because we have not yet received a glorified body. Yet, in this life we are justified, our sin has been wiped away and righteousness has been imputed to us, so that we can say we have been truly saved. It is not total yet, but it is substantial. In the same way our problems and strife will never be full done away with till we cross over the banks of Jordan into that blessed state of eternal life, but we can be truly healed right now and that healing can be substantial. We may struggle and fight with our demons, whether they be internal or external or both, but we can be assured that we will be healed. So, when I come to my own problems I can take my Christian base and apply it to the problem. Whether I am depressed or someone has wronged me I can lean on Christ and I will be held up. My World View allows me to take all the information that is thrown at me and, not only process it, but deal with it and produce results. And you can do this too, if your residence is in the City whose Builder and Foundation is Jesus Christ.

ReformationMan