- Abigail Van Buren
So many people are struggling today with the feelings of loneliness. Many feel abandoned, forgotten, and unloved. In our humanness, sometimes we will feel lonely, but we are never alone.
In Hebrews 13:5, Paul reminds us that Jesus promised to never leave us or forsake us. Then in verse 6, we see that God is our helper and friend, that we do not need to be afraid of anything man can do to us. David said in Psalm 27:10 that even if his mother and father left him, the Lord would adopt him.
Believe me, in my ministry and calling, I have had to learn how to deal with loneliness. It's especially hard when I have to make very difficult decisions; decisions that will not only affect those who work in the ministry and expect a regular paycheck to support their families, but also those who may not be saved if I make the wrong move.
In the midst of the R.I.O.T. tour, I was never more discouraged. In fact, I was sick for weeks over the situation. The tour was not paying for itself, and if we completed it, by the end we would be $1 million in the hole - but we'd also be able to win 10,000 souls into the kingdom.
My answer came when the Lord asked me the simple question, "Are 10,000 souls worth $1 million?" But then I heard a more personal question: "Are 10,000 souls worth your million dollars? Would you, Carman, be willing to sell everything your ministry has accumulated down through the years to win another 10,000 souls?" In the midst of that fire my answer to the Lord was, "Yes! Absolutely yes!" And suddenly my path was clear again and my peace restored.
If you are feeling forsaken, forgotten, and alone today, cry out to God. He is right there, waiting to hear and to answer - just like He was for me during the R.I.O.T. tour. And you will learn what I have learned through the years: Jesus is always there for you.
"For he [Jesus] hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5).
Excerpt permission granted by Albury Publishing