You are not alone

Life can be lonely sometimes. It can feel like we are surrounded by people and yet completely alone. Even with the thoughts and prayers of friends and the love and support of family, they are our battles, our struggles, our burdens to bear. It can be difficult to ask for or accept help, maybe because of pride or stubbornness, maybe because of past experiences of broken trust, or maybe because we don’t want to be a burden on anyone. And so, we isolate ourselves or put on a smile and hope others won’t notice while internally we are crying/raging/shutting down/insert your own.

I write this because I have been that person. From experience I can tell you a couple of things:

• Isolating yourself doesn’t make you stronger or better, it covers up a problem that festers and gets worse
• You will not be a burden to good friends and family. If you ask for help, they will give it. If you talk, they will listen. And talking and being honest helps.
• You are not alone.

I write this now because at this time of year it is easy to paste the smile on when all around is celebration and laughter. And maybe that is what you need to do with certain people. But there are people who are willing to listen, who don’t need you to put on a mask but will take you as you are. There are friends on the other end of a phone, and there are charities who are there for that purpose.

And this is the time of year, when you strip back the food and the decorations and the wrapping paper when we think about Jesus being born. Emmanuel, God With Us. Jesus, fully human and fully God (not gonna get into the theology of that here). God, walking among us like God always intended, like it was in the beginning in Eden. Jesus, making a way for us and God to be together again, bridging the divide.

I was reminded recently that even when we feel alone, even when the well-wishes of friends stop at words, even when all avenues seem to lead to dead ends, you are not alone in it. God is with you. When hope seems lost, God is with you. When all you can do is curl up and cry, God is with you. When you want to scream and shout, God is with you. When you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom, God is with you.

To whoever needs to be reminded this Christmas time, as you look at a crib or sing carols:

You are not alone. God is with you.