Loneliness

Loneliness – “is an emotional feeling of sadness and dejection/low-spirited/depressed because of a lack of companionship or separation from others. Loneliness is a sickening feeling of being ‘left out’, rejected, and unwanted. It is a feeling of being removed and ‘cut off’ from others, whether real or imagined.” (from “Overcoming Loneliness”, Christian Equippers Int. , p. 3).

Lonely – “feeling alone and longing for the presence of friends; without others nearby; solitary; deserted; desolate/left alone/forsaken/abandoned.” (The Harcourt Brace School Dictionary, pp. 196, 431).

Matt. 26:37-42; Jn. 12:27; Lk. 22:44 What did Jesus say or what was His condition or state that indicates that He was feeling sorrow or sadness because of what He was about to undergo on the cross in dying for our sins and thus being separated from God, the Father?

“distressed” – implies a mental or physical stress imposed by trouble, pain, etc.

“cup” – (symbolism for: death and separation from the Father; divine wrath at the cross; or suffering).

“pass” – be spared or taken away.

Have you ever felt lonely or been grieved (afflicted with deep sorrow or distress) and in agony (great mental or physical pain or torment) because you knew about a coming situation or event that would affect your relationship with God?

Even though Jesus didn’t want to go to the cross, what was His attitude as He prayed to God, the Father?

Have you ever expressed some of the same kinds of feelings to God in prayer when you knew you were about to experience a great trial or circumstance in your life?

Did your trust and confidence in God help or strengthen you in anyway to deal with your feelings of loneliness, despair, or sorrow?

Matt. 27:46, 50; Mk. 15:34, 37 What did Jesus cry out with a loud voice when He was on the cross?

[“Forsaken” (Gk. “enkataleipo”) to abandon, desert, leave in straits or helpless; to leave destitute (Vine’s Dictionary p. 252; Wuest Word Studies, Vol. III, p. 87).].

¨ When Jesus died on the cross, He was separated for the first time in all eternity from God, the Father because He paid the penalty for the sins of all believers.

Does the fact that Christ knows what it is like to feel alone and forsaken ever help or comfort you in desperate or difficult times (Heb. 4:15, 16)?

Does it encourage or motivate you to go to God with confidence in prayer to receive mercy (i.e., God’s relieving of our miseries) and find the grace (i.e., God’s divine enablement or strength) to help you in time of need?

When was the last time that you did this, and why?

1 Thes. 2:7, 8, 17, 18; 3:6, 7 Who did Paul and his companions desire or long to see (2:17; 3:6)?

Have you ever felt lonely because you were separated from a real close friend whom you couldn’t see or keep in touch with due to circumstances beyond your control?

How did you deal with your loneliness? Why that way?

What did Paul and his companions do since they were so concerned about the Thessalonians’ spiritual condition or state (3:1, 2)?

Have you ever longed to see how a really close friend or group of people were doing in his/her or their spiritual life/lives because you really missed them and were genuinely concerned for their spiritual well-being?

How would you feel if you were separated from a Bible study group/church/youth group that you were close to?

Is there anything that you could do to prepare yourself ahead of time so that when it does happen, you won’t cave in or quit serving the Lord? If so, what?

2 Tim. 4:9-11, 16, 17 Why did Paul want Timothy to make every effort to come to him soon (vss. 10, 11)?

Have you ever requested the help and presence of godly, close Christian friends because you felt lonely, depressed and forsaken, due to: being in jail for doing what was right, standing for the truth, or preaching the gospel; being abandoned by others; or being away from the presence of loved ones for a long period of time?

What happened to Paul at his first defense (vs. 16)?

How would you have felt if this happened to you, and why?

What would be your attitude toward them, and why?

How was Paul comforted in his loneliness (vs. 17)?

Has the Lord ever stood by your side (i.e., given you support and encouragement) and given you the strength (i.e., the power and/or enablement) to deal with loneliness in your life?

When was the last time you had an experience like this?

Heb. 13:5 What is God’s promise to all believers/Christians?

How does this make you feel, and why?

Have you ever claimed this promise? If so, when, and what happened?

How has this promise been helpful or beneficial to you in dealing with your loneliness?

Prov. 16:18 What are some of the consequences of pride or a haughty spirit?

Has your pride/arrogance ever lead you to all kinds of destruction (ruin/brokenness) and stumbling (one’s downfall) in your relationships with others that have contributed to you being alone or not having close, genuine friendships?

Why?

Do you think that maybe one of the reasons why no one wants to be with or hang around you or develop a close relationship with you (which will cause you to feel “left out”, “rejected”, “unwanted” or lonely) is because of the proud attitude that you display/exhibit to others?

How could you find out or know , if in fact, that this is the case?

If this is true of you, what specific changes do you plan to make in your life, so as to not turn people off in wanting to develop a close friendship with you?

Psa. 139 What does David say about God regarding His relationship to David (vss. 1-6)?

Do you think God knows about your life also? Why?

How could knowing that God knows everything about me (i.e., my actions, thoughts, daily activities, words, motives, etc.), protects and cares for my well-being, and is very personally involved in my life help me in the area of loneliness?

What attribute of God does David now describe, and how does he apply it to his life (vss. 7-9)?

Does the fact that God is present everywhere and is very much aware of whenever you need help or comfort change your perspective about your loneliness? If so, why, and how?

What kind of relationship does God have toward David (vs. 10)?

Do you view God this way, as a loving parent who is constantly aware of His children/Christians and is constantly looking out for them, as He loves, protects, guides, directs, provides, and comforts them? Why?

¨ Most Christians picture their heavenly Father (God) the same way they see their earthly, human father, which could be bad if your earthly father is not a godly Christian. God is the perfect Father whom anyone could ever have, as He has all the qualities necessary.

What specific steps do you need to take in order to view God as a loving Father who cares for you?

What else does David say about God (vss. 13-16)?

Does the fact that God was extremely involved in your creation, making you unique and special, change or help your perspective on loneliness? If so, why, or how?

What do verses 17, 18 say regarding God’s attitude toward David?

Do you think that God has the same attitude toward you?

Does this do anything for you? If so, what?

¨ The fact that God knows everything about you, is always present, and created you perfectly should motivate you to not be lonely!

Ezek. 2:3, 4; 3:4-7 What did God tell the prophet Ezekiel to do to the house of Israel, even though God had already told him in advance that Israel was not going to listen to him because they were not willing to listen to God (3:4)?

Do you think Ezekiel might have felt lonely and depressed because of Israel being a rebellious, stubborn, and obstinate people toward God and their unwillingness to listen to His words?

Did this stop Ezekiel from obeying God (3:15-17)?

Would you be willing to obey God by sharing the gospel with people whether or not they listen to you or respond positively, even though this may cause you to experience loneliness, rejection, or being unwanted as a result of it? Why?

Or, would you be willing to teach the truths/doctrines of God’s Word whether or not Christians listen to/obey them and you suffer loneliness and rejection as a result of it? Why?

Have you ever felt lonely, rejected, or unwanted because no one seemed to want to accept Christ when you shared the gospel, and the Christians you met were not interested in growing spiritually, getting to know God personally, or obeying the Bible?

Why?

If so, what can/did you do to deal with your feelings of loneliness and rejection, so that you kept serving and obeying the Lord?

Matt. 14:23; Mk. 1:35; 6:46, 47; Lk. 4:42; 5:16 What do these passages say as to where Jesus went, what He did, and with whom?

Why do you think Jesus did this?

Do you think it was a good idea for Jesus to be alone at times throughout the course of His ministry, and why?

Have you ever had to make time to be away from people or from ministering to others in order to: get adequate rest and relaxation to gain strength and not be burned-out; gain and/or maintain direction and guidance as to the doing/carrying out of God’s will; gain and/or maintain an eternal perspective on life; spend time developing a closer, more intimate relationship with God? Why?

When was the last time that you did this?

And was it beneficial to your spiritual, physical, emotional well-being? If so, how?

¨ Sometimes it is the will of God to be alone with Him and away from others for a period of time, and the best thing that we can do for our spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being.

Eccles. 2:10, 11 What does Solomon conclude after he pursued and experienced many worldly and selfish pleasures/desires?

Have your attempts to seek/pursue worldly pleasures and possessions ever caused you to be lonely because you found out that they only led you to despair, lack of satisfaction/fulfillment/joy, and it was vanity/meaningless/useless? Why?

What do you think you need to do so that you’re not deceived anymore about this and thus experience true fulfillment in fellowshipping with God?

Where is the only place that a Christian here on earth can ultimately find true joy, fulfillment, contentment, meaning, and purpose in life, and have God as a loving Father, Creator, Lord, Savior, and friend forever and, thereby, not be lonely?

¨ One of the main reasons why many Christians feel lonely, empty, depressed, with no meaning or purpose in life is because they do not have a meaningful, close, relationship with God, and they do not have God and His will as the top priority in their lives.

Gen. 24:2-4, 7, 27, 50, 51, 58, 67 Why did Abraham send his servant (trusting in the Lord’s direction, guidance, choice, and perfect will in this situation, vss. 3, 4 )?

¨ Abraham trusted in the wisdom and sovereignty of God to lead his servant to the right woman (God’s choice) to marry his son, Isaac, and thus ensure the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:1, 2; 21:12).

Do you trust God’s wisdom and sovereign plan for your life in allowing Him to bring the right person to you, in His time, to marry (if it is God’s will for you to be married in the first place), as you pursue first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and why?

¨ Many Christian singles (due to the pressures put upon them by society, family, friends, and their own fear of loneliness) marry outside of God’s will and thus suffer devastating consequences (e. g. loneliness, depression, misery, etc.).

Do you know of anyone (without mentioning any names) who rushed into marriage outside of God’s will because of loneliness or external pressures and incurred worse consequences? If so, what consequences did the person incur?

Have you ever been tempted to marry outside of God’s will (i.e., either to a non-Christian – 2 Cor. 6:14, or to a worldly/carnal/disobedient Christian) due to the pressures from society, family, friends, or from your own fears of being/staying alone? Did you give in, and why?

Or, what did you do to not give in to the pressure and/or your lonely feelings?

¨ Remember that the biblical reason for marriage is that your mate will help you (Gen. 2:18) to do the will of God (evangelism, building believers up spiritually, and living a holy life yourself) better than you could if you remained single.

Psa. 71:9, 18 What does the psalmist request of God when he gets old?

Have you ever prayed something similar to God? Why?

Are you ever afraid and uncertain about who will take care of you in the future as you grow older?

Do you think that you will feel alone?

What does the psalmist say about God in vss. 5, 6?

Do you think that God will be your hope (confident expectation of good), sustainer/provider/helper during your elderly years and that you’ll have an attitude of continually praising God because of it?

¨ If God has been faithful to provide all that we needed up to this point in our lives (as we have put Him first and will continue to do so by doing His will of evangelism, building up other believers spiritually, and living a holy life ourselves), He can certainly take care of us in the future when we grow old.

Gen. 45:5, 7, 8; 50:19, 20 Even though Joseph was almost killed by his brothers because of jealousy (37:11, 18-20), was thrown into a pit (37:24), sold into slavery to the Ishmaelites (37:27, 28), sold again by the Midianites to Potiphar in Egypt (37:36), was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife of something he didn’t do (39:7-9, 11-16), and was put in jail as a result of it (39:30), what was Joseph’s attitude and perspective regarding all the circumstances surrounding his life?

Do you think that Joseph felt lonely/depressed/rejected, etc. in the midst of his circumstances?

What do you think your response would have been (e.g., lonely, depressed, or felt forsaken by God) if you had encountered similar hard circumstances like these, and why?

Do you think that God sometimes allows/causes/uses difficult circumstances that we may consider “bad” or “unfair” from a human point of view but is for our good (i.e., for spiritual growth; to develop perseverance and maturity in Christ; to develop a right concept of who God is – sovereign and good; to gain a godly perspective on trials – Rom. 8:28; to learn how to be less self-dependent and a greater reliance/trust/confidence upon the Lord; to humble us, etc.) even though the circumstances may lead us to feel lonely?

1 Thes. 4:13-18 Why didn’t Paul and his companions want these uninformed Christians (regarding the rapture of the already dead believers) to grieve as the rest who have no hope?

Have you ever felt lonely because of the death of a loved one or close friend who trusted in Christ as his/her Savior?

Would it be wrong to feel lonely? Why?

Can loneliness ever turn or lead a person into sin? If so, when?

Does the fact that you will see (if you’re a Christian) your deceased Christian loved ones again in heaven help, comfort, or encourage you in any way? If so, how?

Have you ever shared this promise with anyone who has had a loved one die that was a believer/Christian in order to comfort that person in his/her loneliness?

Acts 15:37, 38 Why didn’t Paul want to take John Mark on his next missionary journey (vs. 38)?

Has anyone (e.g., fellow worker, spiritual trainee, spiritual trainer, Bible study member, friend) ever deserted/abandoned you while you were doing the work of the Lord (evangelism/sharing your faith and helping other Christians grow spiritually)?

If so, how did you feel?

And, how did you deal with your feelings/emotions?

Would you ever compromise (lower your standards) or go against your convictions in order to: train/equip someone who had not proven himself qualified to be trained; accept Charismatics into your group; tolerate people who are doctrinally in error; or start teaching what people want to hear, instead of the truths in God’s Word, just for the sake of having a lot of people at your Bible study? Why?

Psa. 68:4-6 Why does David sing praises to the Lord and exult (greatly rejoice) before Him (vss. 5, 6)?

Do you view God this way, as a loving Father (who guides, protects, comforts, cares, provides, etc.), and as One who makes a home for the lonely (i.e., God brings the lonely into comfortable relations with Him as they find Him, a God all-sufficient to them), and why?

Do you see how having a proper concept of God (i.e., who He is and the works He has done) can affect and help you in this area of your life?

Has your concept of God ever led you to praise and greatly rejoice in God, instead of feeling lonely?

Seeing how important it is to have a biblical concept of who God is, what do you think you need to do in order to see God as the all-sufficient One, who cares and wants an intimate, close relationship with you?

Jn. 8:29 What did Jesus say regarding God, the Father?

Is this true of you (that God is always with you wherever you go and that you are never alone)?

Why (Heb. 13:5; Jer. 23:23, 24; Psa. 139:7-10; Matt. 28:19, 20)?

How does it make you feel that God is always with you wherever you go and that you’re never alone, and why?

Does it give you: confidence and boldness in sharing Christ with others or teaching and standing up for what’s right; comfort and assurance when facing dangerous/harmful situations, trials, problems, or hard circumstances; joy, peace, tranquility, contentment and stability knowing that God is in complete control, and He’s always looking out for your best interest; security and a good self-image, knowing that you’re special in God’s eyes, and He cares for you; or motivation and zeal/enthusiasm to obey God’s Word? Why?

What can you do so that you won’t forget this truth?

Gal. 6:2; Rom. 12:15 What is our responsibility to one another?

Do you selflessly bear (carry, shoulder, or help lighten) the burdens (i.e., every type of oppressing affliction, problem, difficulty, persecution, or grief) of other Christians who are lonely and depressed, and why?

Or, do you try to empathize (i.e., share in other’s emotions or feelings) with them? Why?

When was the last time that you helped carry another Christian’s burden or empathize with him/her because of his/her lonely condition? Or, has anyone done this with you?

How can you develop this kind of love and concern for those who are lonely, downcast, or depressed?

¨ One of the best ways to deal with our loneliness is to get involved in people’s lives.

Psa. 22:1, 2, 11 How does David feel toward God (vss. 1, 2)?

Have you ever felt lonely, depressed, and/or abandoned by God because it seemed that God was not answering your prayers, or not answering them the way you wanted, or when you wanted?

Why do you think God does this?

Do you think that God is always looking out for your best interest, knows what’s best for your life and will, therefore, act accordingly when it comes to how and when He answers your prayers? Why?

Do you think having this perspective will help you in the future to not feel lonely, depressed, or forsaken by God?

If so, how?

¨ Remember that there are times when we shouldn’t expect God to answer our prayers, such as when: praying with wrong/selfish motives (Jas. 4:3); doubting God to give you the wisdom to deal with trials/problems once we’ve asked God (Jas. 1:5-8); living in unconfessed, unrepentant sin (Psa. 66:18; Isa. 59:2); disobedience to God’s commands (1 Jn. 3:23); when they are not part of His perfect will (1 Jn. 5:14, 15); etc.

¨ Recognizing this should help us to not feel lonely or abandoned by God when He doesn’t answer our prayers. Instead, we should immediately take action to correct our sinful, present condition and thus enjoy God’s blessings and benefits.

Heb. 10:25 What does the writer of Hebrews exhort (admonish/urge) these Hebrew Christians to not forsake/abandon?

Have you ever exhorted/admonished/urged/encouraged another Christian to not forsake the assembling/gathering/meeting together with other believers? Why?

Do you think that this would be good advice to tell those who are lonely and depressed, and why?

How can fellowshipping with like-minded, godly Christians help a depressed or lonely person?

Lev. 13:45, 46 What must the leper do because of his leprosy (vs. 46b)?

How would you feel if you had to be in isolation due to a contagious disease or some other health problems that you had?

How do you think you will handle this if this ever happens to you, and why?

1 Cor. 12:14-27 What kind of structure or interaction did Christ leave for the church (believers/Christians) to function in with each other?

¨ Some Christians have a proud attitude, thinking that they don’t need the help, support, encouragement, etc. of other Christians, and that they can make it or become Christ-like on their own.

Is this ever true of you? Why?

Are you a part of a Christian group/Bible study that you can draw help, strength, and support from in times of loneliness (vs. 26)?

Are you glad and thankful that you have them? Why?

And, as a member of the body of Christ (Christians), do you show/have great concern and a loving attitude toward your fellow Bible study/Christian group? How?

Matt. 28:19, 20 What did Christ promise His disciples (and to us/believers as well, vs. 20), as they went evangelizing/sharing Christ/making disciples/converts of all the nations?

Do you ever get lonely while pursuing the will of God (e.g., evangelizing the spiritually lost, helping other believers grow spiritually, and/or living a holy life), and why?

Does this promise do anything for you?

Has your loneliness ever led/caused/tempted you to want to quit serving the Lord or doing His will?

Did you quit serving the Lord, and why?

What do you think you can do, so that you can properly handle loneliness when doing the will of God in your life?

Psa. 9:10; 37:25, 28 What does David say regarding the righteous/godly or those who seek after God?

Do you agree with this? Why?

If so, do your actions show/prove that you believe God will not forsake/abandon those who seek after God’s kingdom and His righteousness? How, specifically?

¨ Many Christians do not want to completely surrender their lives to Christ and do the will of God (i.e., evangelism, building others up, and living a holy live) because they don’t really believe that God will take care of them, to provide all that they need in life (i.e., basic necessities), and instead, they think that they will be miserable, lonely, depressed, or forsaken by God if they put God as the top priority in their lives.

Is this true of you? Why?

Do you believe God’s promise (and, therefore, act upon it) to take care of your basic needs (Matt. 6:25, 26, 33; Phil. 4:19), as you put God first as the top priority in your life, and why?

2 Tim. 1:2, 4, 14-18 Who did Paul (who was in prison at the time he wrote this letter from Rome for boldly sharing the gospel – Eph. 3:1; 6:20; Phil. 1:7; Col. 4:10; Philemon 9) long to see (vs. 4)?

What happened to Paul (vs. 15)?

How do you think Paul felt?

How would you feel if you were in prison for sharing the gospel and/or doing what was right and your fellow brothers/workers in Christ turned away from you, and why?

What would you do if this ever happens to you, and why?

What did Onesiphorus do for Paul (vss. 16-18)?

Have you ever gone out of your way to help another Christian who was in a similar situation/circumstance?

If so, how?

Or, has anyone gone out of his/her way to help you?

Did it help you to deal with your feelings of loneliness, abandonment, etc.?

Psa. 25:16, 17; 86:1-5; 61:1-4 What does David pray to the Lord, and why (vs. 16)?

Have you ever prayed anything like this to God because you were lonely and afflicted, and why?

If so, did praying to the Lord about your feelings help you with your loneliness and affliction, and how?

How should coming to God in prayer to express or share your feelings about your loneliness help?

Psa. 102:1, 2, 5-7 How does David describe his loneliness to God in prayer because of his afflictions (vss. 6, 7)?

What do you do when you feel lonely because of your afflictions/distresses/sufferings/hard circumstances, and why?

What does David realize in vs. 12 that shows that he gained a right perspective about his lonely condition because of his afflictions?

Has your right perspective about who God is ever helped you to deal with loneliness because of some afflictions/pains sufferings, etc.? If so, how?

Prov. 18:24 A person of many friends (Heb. “rea” meaning acquaintances) will come to ruin (i.e., be broken because he/she has no loyal, committed friends in time of need), but what kind of a friend can someone have?

Do you have a close, loyal, Christian friend who has been there to help during times when you have felt lonely or forsaken due to hard circumstances, death of a loved one, illness/sickness, relational problems, etc.?

What can you do or what have you done to become this kind of friend to others and thus help in time of need/loneliness?

2 Cor. 4:8-11 What had Paul and his companions gone through for Jesus’ sake (vss. 8, 9)?

Who did Paul trust to deliver him from the peril of death (2 Cor. 1:9, 10)?

Whenever you encounter persecutions for the sake of Christ, do you think that God has forsaken/abandoned you, let you down, or left you alone in a difficult situation, and why?

Or, are you like Paul, trusting in God and in His sovereignty to allow persecutions to come your way for a higher purpose in mind (i.e., to become more Christ-like; mature)? Why?

Why do you think most Christians think that God has forsaken/abandoned them whenever they encounter persecutions/trials/problems, even though they are doing/standing for what is right or are obedient to God?

Do you see a need to change your perspective, so as to not think that God has forsaken/abandoned you when facing persecutions/hard times/problems for Christ’s sake?

1 Ki. 18:22-24, 38-40; 19:1-4, 9, 10, 14 What was Elijah able to do, even though he was the only prophet of the Lord (vss. 23, 24)?

Who proved to be the real God, and what did Elijah do to the prophets of Baal (vss. 38-40)?

However, after this great victory, what is Elijah’s attitude now, after he hears Jezebel threatening his life and wanting to kill him for the death of Baal’s prophets (vss. 3, 4, 10, 14)?

Should Elijah have been afraid, depressed, worried or felt all alone because of Jezebel’s threat? Why?

Why do you think Elijah reacted this way?

Have you ever been afraid, depressed, or felt all alone in the midst of hard circumstances when you shouldn’t have been because of past experiences in which the Lord had helped you or forgot that you have an all-powerful God that can/does help, guide, comfort, protect, and strengthen in trials or difficult circumstances? Why?

What do you think you need to do so that you can respond correctly, not lose perspective, nor forget what God has done in the past?

Psa. 27:9; 38:21 What does David request of the Lord in prayer?

Have you ever said anything like this to God in prayer? When, and why?

What will the Lord do, even if David’s parents forsake him (27:10)?

Do you feel the same way, and why?

Does the promise that God will never leave us, nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5) help, motivate, or encourage you in anyway?

Luke 6:22, 23, 27-28 What is true of those who are hated, ostracized, insulted, and spurned as evil for the sake of the Son of Man (Jesus as the Representative Man, His perfect humanity, from heaven), vs. 22?

Have you ever felt alone and/or abandoned by God when people hated you, ostracized (shunned, disassociated, excluded), insulted, and spurned (rejected) your name as evil because of your Christianity and/or association with Christ, and why?

What should be their (and our) response, and why (vss. 23, 27-28)?

Is this your attitude when suffering for the sake of Christ, and why?

Or, do you have a “poor me” attitude/mentality?

What specific steps do you need to take to correct this attitude/mentality, so that you can respond properly the next time you suffer for Christ?

Gen. 6:5, 8, 9, 11-13, 17; 7:1 Even though the wickedness of man was great on the earth, every intention of his heart (inner being or character in general) was evil continually, and the earth was corrupt and full of violence, what does the Lord tell Noah to do (7:1), and why (6:8, 9; 7:1)?

Could God say this about you because of your righteousness and blameless (i.e., moral completeness; a life that is upright and ethically/morally sound/right/correct) life? Why?

How does Noah exhibit/show that he was a righteous man (6:22; 7:5; Heb. 11:7)?

Do you feel sometimes like you are the only one who cares about obeying, trusting, and serving the Lord as a way of life, in comparison to the many people, including carnal/disobedient Christians, who are pursing worldly things, temporal sinful pleasures, or their self-centered goals, plans, and objectives in life? When? Why?

Does the reality that it seems like you alone are concerned with trusting and obeying God ever tempt/cause you to want to pursue worldly things and selfish pleasures/desires, or pursue self-centered goals and objectives? Why?

Would you be willing to trust and obey God, even if you are the only one who is doing it (e.g., at your job/work, school/class, home, etc.)? Why?

1 Cor. 15:33 What shouldn’t we be deceived about?

Has your loneliness (because of lack of friends/friendships) ever caused you to chose to hang around with/make close friendships with people who are considered bad/evil company (i.e., they influence or encourage you to sin, do evil, or believe wrong/false teachings, ideas, values, etc. and, therefore, live wrongly)? Why?

Why did you chose those types of friends, instead of looking for godly, friends who can encourage you toward the things of God and His Word, the Bible?

¨ Remember that you become like the people you hang around with; therefore, we should hang around with friends who can encourage and motivate us toward God and spiritual things, and thus not be lonely (Prov. 13:20).

Jn. 16:32; Matt. 26:31, 56 What did Jesus tell His disciples that they would do when the hour had come for Jesus to be arrested and be crucified?

Even though the disciples left Jesus at a most crucial point in His life, what does Jesus say about Himself?

Have you ever been deserted/left alone by your friends/family/Bible study members/disciples, etc. at a crucial point in your life or when you needed them the most? How did you feel, and why?

How would you feel and what would you do if you get arrested/put in jail for preaching/sharing the gospel, teaching God’s Word, standing up for what’s right, being a Christian or your association with Christ, and your friends/family/Bible study or church members/spiritual leader or pastor/disciples deserted/left you, and why?

And, did knowing that you were not alone because God was with you (Heb. 13:5) help, comfort, motivate, strengthen, or encourage you during this time?

What can you do to prepare yourself ahead of time so that if/when it does happen, you are ready to respond correctly and not quit or give up serving the Lord?

Lk. 22:54-62 What did Peter do after the Lord looked at him and he remembered that he had denied Christ three times (vs. 62)?

Do you think that Peter felt like he abandoned Christ?

Have you ever felt lonely, wept bitterly, or had deep sorrow because you denied Christ publicly or because of committing some sin(s) that you promised God you wouldn’t do, but ended up doing?

Did you do something about your sinful condition by confessing your sins to God (which restores a right relationship with Him), and allowing Christ to rule/control your life? Why?

Eccles. 4:9-12 What are some of the advantages/benefits from having a godly friendship?

Do you have a couple of close, godly, Christian friends who are there and ready to help, assist, protect, motivate, encourage, or comfort you in time of loneliness?

Or, do you have the mentality of being a lone-ranger Christian who doesn’t need anyone? Why?

Rom. 8:35-39 What shall be able to separate us (Christians) from Christ’s love for us/believers?

How does knowing this make you feel, and why?

Ex. 15:22-25; 16:2-13; 17:1-3; Num. 11:1; 12:1, 2; 16:1-50; 21:5-7; Deut. 1:25-27

Moses endured all kinds of hostility, antagonism/opposition, rebellion, grumbling and complaining, criticism, misjudgments of his motives, and was misunderstood, as he did the will of God in leading the nation of Israel out of Egypt and into the promised land. Moses, as a leader, paid the price of loneliness, as he persevered, stood strong on his convictions, and made the right decisions to accomplish the will of God in his life.

Are you willing to endure all kinds of hostility, opposition, rebellion, persecution, criticism, misunderstandings, wrong judgments of you, etc. , and pay the price of loneliness in order to accomplish God’s will for your life (i.e., evangelism – Matt. 28:19, 20; building others up to Christlikeness – Rom. 14:19; 1 Thes. 5:11; and living a holy life – 1 Pet. 1:15)?