You've Got A Friend??? Maybe??

I have not been to church for several weeks because of a recent serious illness, which required hospitalization.  Our faith is an essential part of our lives so not going to church eventually takes its toll on my spiritual health.  God is good and His timing is impeccable!  Today, our pastor gave a sermon on loneliness, an emotion I have been dealing with since being hospitalized.

Getting sick, and being hospitalized was an eye opening experience.  I could no longer take care of myself or my household.  ALL of my responsibilities fell unto my husband's already busy shoulder's.  We were fortunate that I did not become ill on a week he was traveling.  Without  having family, in the state where we live,  is extremely difficult.  It is a parent’s worst nightmare.  Only the LORD knows how we would have managed logistically.

Being as sick as I was, was awful.  Long days, and longer nights gave me hours to think and pray.  It was in those days that I realized that we had not yet put down roots in the community in which we live.  There is almost no one here to pick up the phone and say:  "I really need you", "Can you come down?".  I had managed to make it on to the prayer list for our church so I did receive a visit from our Pastor, and a married couple from the ministry team.  I am extremely grateful for their prayers.

Once I realized that there was no one else to visit or to check in I wondered what is wrong with me?  What have I done or not done that I have not formed bonds in this community?  There are more questions than I have answers.  The only thing I know how to do in this situation is pray.  And that is exactly what I began to do, pray.

Today is Sunday and I was well enough to get up and go to church with the family.  As I looked over the sermon note sheet I saw that our Pastor was going to be preaching on loneliness.  I was grateful that God was opening a door.  I knew that I could take Preacher's words and express my feelings in our Sunday school class.  

As I expressed in my opening, "God Is God!"  Only God would know that I would share my feelings on loneliness in a class with other women who were feeling the same emotions.  God was instrumental in bringing together people who needed to meet one another.

It is often very easy to be dismayed by the actions or non-actions of other people.  I, we, may feel alone in our adopted home but God may have grander things in store for us.  The one thing I often forget is that I am NEVER alone.  God is always with me.  I have never been alone, I will never be alone.  He is  always with us, no matter what!