‘Loneliness is not the absence of people it’s the absence of
intimacy’ Max Lucado
I Love this quote from Max Lucado it captures the essence of
our human need for deep meaningful interaction. We lived near my family in
Ireland for 5 years after my son was born. Nam (my better half) couldn’t get
work there and so for a year I tried to sell our house while he worked in
Manchester. Eventually the time came
where we could move and be together again in England which was good but I had a
sense of foreboding because over the year of being ‘on my own’ with the family
I’d developed some deep friendships and was now to leave them behind. Well, we
moved, rented a flat and started to remember how to do family life… However
there was a big problem. While Nam had moved on having new relationships and challenges
in his new job; the kids and I were bereft of those deep friendships which as
proverbs says are more precious than gold.
In Ireland we lived in a street full of children where mine
had friends they loved and I had an open house which buzzed. Being in a small
flat felt like being in a prison. Not the finest hour of the
family Tong. I remember many tear filled nights while Nam was at work and the
kids were in bed where the sense of loneliness felt so heavy I thought it would
crush me completely. This was not helped by the fact I’d fallen out with God
for not doing my life my way!
What I really needed was a friend, one who really loved me
warts and all, one who shared my story and knew my heart. I needed someone who’d
laugh with me and at me… The thing was I had such a friend but I was so busy
being cross with Him that I kept myself in that place of loneliness for longer
than I needed to be. Self-focus in my
place of pain robbed me of the solution to my problem – getting out and
developing new deep friendships. God is good though… Opposite our flat a precious
Malaysian girl had just had her first baby and was totally overwhelmed. I love
babies… I love people… we became friends. Over time God drew her to Himself showing His great love for her in a wonderful way and He graciously allowed me to watch Him work. How great is our God? Peeps, loneliness can be the catalyst for moving forward and discovering new treasure in the clay of where He's brought you!
Hugs Ruth x
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| My friend! |
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