"DO YOU EVER FEEL LONELY?"
by Carol Daehnert

Do you ever find yourself in a crowd of people and yet feel lonely? Do you find yourself wishing for just one other person who truly understands and values you for who you are? Jesus must have felt this way at times when he withdrew to seek refreshment and encouragement from His good friends in Bethany.

Isolation seems to be the by-product of our hectic, fast-paced society. No where is this more evident then in the body of Christ, especially among those who serve in vocational ministry. The unique concerns of a minister's family make it difficult to share with other church members. Yet the need is there.

Where to turn? One avenue I have found effective is building a network of support among pastors and wives who minister in the same association. Planning regular times to meet as a group and sharing common concerns can be a great source of empowerment. Learning to communicate online with one another also diminishes that sense of isolation.

When John Donne said, "no man is an island", I believe he hit upon a vivid truth about relationships. In order to grow as believers we need to know and be known. The Preacher says, "Two are better than one....If one feels down, his friend can help him up." (Ecc. 4:9-10). Pursuing these relationship is vital to our spiritual and emotional health as we "grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. (Eph. 4:15)

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