Coping with Loneliness as a Single Adult during COVID-19 Social Distancing
Loneliness can come into our lives in many different circumstances. Most recently, many of us have experienced loneliness with COVID-19 and social distancing. As a single adult, you may be the only person in your home, and the thought of increasing social distancing may feel like nothing new.
Society can make singles feel alone in a typical environment, but now it is even heightened. You may feel like you are suffering alone and being envious of families who are locked in together. Being lonely when single is never easy, but how do singles fight loneliness during a lockdown?
Single adults are faced with the decision to allow loneliness to pervade in their life or not. Budgets are tight, friends are sometimes harder to find, churches may not understand why you are still single, and family pressures are increased to find someone to marry. You may have children, lost a spouse, or coming out of a divorce. Often these situations create a void that leaves you feeling alone.
Follow and honor God in everything.
As a single adult, motivate yourself daily to follow and honor God in all you do. Doing so will prioritize goals and values every day and help keep loneliness at bay during your journey. Singles, if you are lonely in your journey less than a few times a month, you’re doing pretty good! While we cannot fully control our emotions in this regard, we can choose to not dwell on them and, instead, focus on Christ. In a time where we are drawn to dwell on fear and isolation, choose to dwell on God’s goodness, faithfulness, and constant relationship in our lives.
Jesus understands being alone.
There is a loneliness in each of us that can only be filled by a Savior. Jesus understood this. He was 100% man and 100% God. Isaiah 53 says the Savior would be “rejected by all mankind,” and He was “familiar with pain.” In his final hours, the men who He invested in His ministry left his side (Matthew 26:56). Mark 15:34 tells us that in His last moments, “… Jesus cried out in a loud voice … My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” as He took the burden of our sins on the cross. Alone.
With Him, we are never alone.
Christ desires a relationship with each of us, so we never will be alone. After Christ rose from the grave, He told us in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, even until the end of the earth.” He loves you so much and wants to have a relationship with you. You are never alone as a single adult with Christ!
Take the opportunity you have while being more socially distant to connect with friends, family, and co-workers. Share God’s love through being an example with the technology we have to connect. Turn your thoughts from self to others and see God turn your loneliness into an opportunity for Kingdom impact.
Published March 22, 2020