Alone In a Roomful

Isaiah 41:10 Don’t fear, because I am with you; don’t be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you; I will hold you with my righteous strong hand.

I’m quite sure most of you can relate to this at some level – some more readily than others. I was talking to a friend a couple of nights ago and we got on the topic of the holidays. He talked about the excitement of the holidays and the time spent with family and friends. We moaned a bit about scheduling time for our wives, family, school, church, shopping and all the decorations, but then he went on to say it is in this time of year that he feels most alone.

I asked how could that be? While both his parents have been gone for some time, he has a wife, a child, and in-laws that treat him truly as a member of the family. He couldn’t put a finger on why.  Maybe it was the busy schedule and the scurrying everywhere that prevented the opportunity for him to have the long relaxed interactions that he needed, or maybe it was because he didn’t have a place he could go to celebrate some of the traditions he remembered as a child.

He went on to talk about the only way he really got through the season was through consistent conversation with God. He said that his “prayers” in no way resembled anything you find in church. It was just that – a conversation – talking about his day, the activities, recalling past times with his family, sometimes laughing and sometimes crying, but most importantly, always trying to listen.

I have to admit that the holiday blues creep up on me sometimes, and for reasons I can’t explain. I listened to him that night and took to heart his plan to not only survive the season, but to really enjoy it. Whether you’ve got something creeping up on you or not, find some time to talk with Him, it is always time well spent.