Chapter 4
I Am Not Alone
I Am Not Alone
Spiritual Truth #3:
Handling being alone versus being lonely
We must be alone and we must face the emotions of handling being alone versus being overwhelmed with loneliness. This is a time when we can count on holding tightly to our God Strong faith, as God has promised to never leave us alone.
Opening Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for who you are: The Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and The End, Our Counselor, Our Mighty God. How perfectly your word lights our path in life as we trust and obey your commandments. Help us to focus on you and to turn away from focusing on ourselves. May we depend upon your wisdom, your guidance, and you’re never failing love as we face periods of dealing with life’s problems alone. Keep us from temptations and turn us away from self pity. Fill our marriages with joy, understanding and love. Teach us to celebrate the wisdom of your ways.In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen
We can be alone and still feel whole when we rely on God’s strength to fill in the missing pieces of our hearts and lives.
God said, “My presence will go with you. I’ll see the journey to the end.” Exodus 33:14
God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.’ Psalm 46:1
We know that God is ready and willing to remove our struggle and sorrow and replace them with joy and gladness; so why do we still struggle? The battle is between our holding on to our human nature and our choosing to embrace God’s nature. When we are dealing with the issue of loneliness –and deployment is a prime example- our human nature wants to focus inward.
With Human nature we say: “What did I do to deserve this?”
With God’s nature we say: “What is God doing in this?”
With Human nature we say: “I am weak because I am alone.”
With God’s nature we remember: “I am weak but God is strong. I am not alone."
Focusing on self is the opposite of focusing on God. When we take ourselves out of the way, the Holy spirit takes over, and brings calm to the chaos and contentment to our discontentment.
Romans 8:6 say “The mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace.”
The key is to know daily where our focus lies.
Avoiding Self Pity
Many times our emotions will turn inward and we focus on ourselves, our loneliness, and our sadness creating self pity and withdrawal.
Avoiding Temptation
To escape self pity, loneliness, and sadness we may fall into the trap of self indulgences, shopping sprees, over-eating, and sexual temptations
Wives Guard Your Hearts:
To protect your heart, and your marriage, avoid emotional connections and deep conversations with the opposite sex.
It is so easy for a woman who is suffering from a lack of attention and romance due to her husband’s deployment to be attracted to someone who begins to supply some of the attention and companionship that she is missing during her husband's absences. This can lead her to be tempted to have an affair and ultimately destroy her marriage.
(follow link to hear song )
What appears to be a harmless glance
Can turn to romance
And homes are divided
Feelings that should never have been
Awaken within
Tearing the heart in two
Listen, I beg of you!
Chorus:
Guard your heart, Guard your heart
Don't trade it for treasure
Don't give it away
Guard your heart, Guard your heart
As a payment for pleasure
It's a high price to pay
For a soul that remains sincere
With a conscience clear
Guard your heart
The human heart is easily swayed
And often betrayed
At the hands of emotion
We dare not leave the outcome to chance
We must choose in advance
Or live with the agony
Such needless tragedy
Chorus
Words and music by Jon Mohr. Copyright 1989 Birdwing Music. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.
Encourage Someone Else
Let God use you during this time to encourage others.
Instead of turning your focus inward toward yourself, turn your focus outward towards others. Spend this time building new friendships. Go out of your way to encourage others. Become involved in group activities, church and community programs. As you begin to share with others you will find the amazing way that God brings joy and fulfillment into your days.
We are the ones that will choose if we will be alone or lonely.
Building Our Tool Box:
Building Our Tool Box:
Lies Young Woman Believe: "Putting Aside Shells": inauthenticity, fear, and selfishness.
Alone in Marriage: Additional reading
Circumstances leave us alone, but not lonely.
We choose whether we are lonely when we decide to reach out to others or to stay to ourselves. Will we stop being willing to connect with God and with other people or will we find groups and activities we can be part of? Will we refuse to admit we need anyone, including God, or are we honest with ourselves and confess that we need help.
Comments/questions:
What can we share?
Thoughts and comments from Strength Trainers question
Words of Encouragement
Words of Encouragement
Life Experiences
Testimonies of Praises
What we have learned
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So speak encouraging words to one another 1 Thes 5:11
