What is the cure for loneliness? When I first travelled to Europe, many people before Google would use something called Lonely Planet books. The purpose of these resources was to provide comprehensive information and guidance around local customs, history, and cultural insights to those travelling.
Why call such a book Lonely Planet? Travel and experiencing the world are meant to be exciting and an adventure into the unknown. However, travel and holidays are not enough to solve the human condition of loneliness, depression, anxiety, or even lack of contentment in life that comes with the feeling of being lonely. Loneliness is a terrible thing to experience on this earth. We experience loneliness in many ways and for different reasons in the changing seasons of life. God’s word directs and guides us to understand why this is the case.
God’s Word in Genesis 3 recalls that mankind’s fall from paradise means our reality no longer enjoys the freedom and security in God and his world. If we lived in a pre-fall world, then we would have no struggles, troubles, or dilemmas of any kind.
Therefore, given this is our reality in this world, it means our experience of loneliness is twofold: Separation from both community and God himself. Because of the effects of human sinfulness, it is our general experience to feel the impact of loneliness on the soul. For example, lack of friends (Ps 142:4), public shame (Jn 8:3), desertion (2 Tim 4:16), loss of identity (Lk 8:27), discontentment (Ecc 4:8), depression (1 Kings 19:7) and even old age (Ps 71:9). On the one hand the list of reasons is endless, and we will all experience these at some point. But on the other hand, the greatest separation we will ever experience is from God and his presence due to our sinful rebellion (Isa 59:2).
God’s intention for humanity is to live together in harmony and appreciation of each other and him as our maker. However, we live here and not in heaven, so what is the cure? Or is the implication for us more about care rather than cure? Scripture tells us Heaven’s glorious state with Christ is the cure (1 Cor 15 cf Rev 22). But for now, it is the care of the soul that should be the focus of every Christian.
Care of the soul requires several things to be done, which are vital to living the Christian life. Scripture testifies that we are to continually be devoting ourselves to seeking time with God and abiding in his Word (Jn 15:1-17). Moreover, this is something not only done in isolation but also in community at our church gathering each week. Again, something we should consider is what our duty is to one another in actively engaging with others. Especially those who are restricted, e.g., due to aged care, poverty, or loss of a loved one. A great privilege we share is not only belonging to God but also belonging to God’s family, and with that come unspoken blessings. Here, we can care for the souls of others, and in turn, it will help care for our own loneliness. God grant us insight into where we can care for our souls in this way.
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孤獨的解藥是什麼？還記得我第一次到歐洲旅行的時候，谷歌尚未普及，許多人都會使用一本名為《孤獨星球》的旅遊書。這些資源的目的，是為旅行者提供當地習俗、歷史以及文化見解的詳細資料和指南。
為什麼要稱這本書為「孤獨星球」？旅行和體驗世界本應令人興奮，是一場探索未知的冒險。然而，旅行和假期並不足以解決人類普遍存在的孤獨、憂鬱、焦慮，甚至是對生活缺乏滿足感而伴來的孤獨感。孤獨是人生中極其痛苦的經驗。在人生的不同階段，我們會因為各種原因、以各種方式感受到孤獨。神的話語引導並帶領我們理解其中的根源。
創世記第三章記載人類墮落離開伊甸園，這意味着我們不再享有神及其世界中的自由和安全。如果我們仍活在墮落前的世界，那麼我們就不會有任何掙扎、煩惱或困境。
因此，既然這是我們在這個世界的現實，這意味着我們對孤獨的體驗是雙重的：與群體以及與神自己隔絕。由於人類罪性的影響，我們普遍經歷到孤獨對靈性的影響。例如：缺乏朋友 (詩 142:4)、遭受羞辱 (約 8:3)、被人離棄(提後 4:16)、失去身份認同(路 8:27)、不滿足 (傳 4:8)、抑鬱 (王上 19:7)，甚至年老 (詩 71:9）。一方面，這些原因看似無窮無盡，我們每個人都會在某個時刻體會到。但另一方面，我們所經歷最嚴重的隔絕，是因我們悖逆的罪而與神及祂的同在隔絕。(賽 59:2)。
神造人的心意，是要我們彼此同心與感恩，也感謝那位造我們的主。然而，我們活在世上而非天堂，那麼，我們該如何擺脫這種困境呢？或者，對我們而言，更意味着要重於「關顧」，而非「治癒」？聖經指出，將來在天上與基督同在的榮耀狀態，才是真正的治癒 (林前15；啟22)。但如今，每個基督徒都應以關顧靈魂為重要。
靈性的關顧需要我們實踐許多對基督徒生命而言至關重要的事情。聖經表明，我們要不斷地專心尋求與神同在的時間，並常在祂的話語裡(約 15:1–17)。這不僅是個人層面的操練，也是在教會群體中，每週一同聚集時的實踐。同時，我們也當思想彼此相待的責任，積極與他人交通，特別是那些因着年老、貧困、喪親等原因而受限制的弟兄姊妹。我們共同享有的一大特權不僅是屬於神，也是屬於神的大家庭，隨之而來的是許多無言的祝福。在這裡，我們可以關顧他人的靈魂，同時也有助於我們關心自身的孤獨。願神賜給我們洞察力，讓我們知道在哪裡可以用這方式關顧我們的靈魂。
Rev. Adam Breasley
