In this series we examine some of the top reasons Christians give up on their appointed ministry assignment.
Today we examine the problems ofLoneliness. You might experience loneliness because it seems no one understands, or because things are too personal to share, or because you are a private person or because your focus differs from everyone around you. Loneliness is an emotion. Remember your emotions are yours. You are entitled to them. No one has the right to determine how you should feel.
There is a planned and purposeful unique race set up for each of us from the point of salvation to the face-to-face encounter with our Savior, Jesus. God has created us each with unique talents, abilities, spiritual gifts and placed us each in unique circumstances for our growth and His glory.
Let’s look at the example of Joseph.
Joseph – Hebrews 11:
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
What would give Joseph that confidence in God? The Bible gives us four windows into his mindset
Remember Joseph, aged 17, was sold into slavery by his brothers!
Remember Joseph was falsely accused of lying with his master’s wife and imprisoned!
1) Window #1 – Genesis 41:
15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
2) Window #2 – Genesis 41:
i50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.
3) Window #3 – Genesis 41:
52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
4) Window #4 – Genesis 45:
1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
Final words – Genesis 50:
24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Joshua 24:
32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph
What do you see in Joseph’s example? Do you see an absence of bitterness? Do you see an acceptance of divine providence while waiting for the Lord’s timing? What do you see?
The example of Moses in Hebrews 11:
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
What do you see in Moses’ example? Do you see choice not based on the present? Do you see focus on things unseen rather than that which is seen? What do you see?
Remedy for loneliness
1) Remember His promises:
Genesis 39:
2And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Hebrews 13:
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
2) Keep God’s track record – journal your prayer answers
3) Live life with Emmanual
Isaiah 42:
14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Matthew 1:
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
4) Ask God to help you see His bigger picture and to focus on Him rather than on circumstances.
Hebrews 12:
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
May the Mind of Christ My Savior – Kate Barclay Wilkinson
Born: August 27, 1859, England –Died: December 28, 1928, England.
Daughter of mechanical engineer William Beckett Johnson, Kate married Frederick Barclay Wilkinson, a cashier, in 1891, at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, Altrincham, Cheshire. Kate worked with young women in west London, and was apparently involved with the Keswick Convention movement.
- May the mind of Christ my Savior Live in me from day to day,
By His love and pow’r controlling All I do and say.
- May the Word of Christ dwell richly In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph Only through His pow’r.
- May the peace of Christ my Savior Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort Sick and sorrowing.
- May the love of Jesus fill me, As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing, This is victory.
- May I run the race before me, Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus As I onward go.
- May His beauty rest upon me As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel, Seeing only Him.
Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/401#ixzz2LGbjYMsq
Hebrews 12:
1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Let us run with patience the race Jesus has set before us,
Coach Patti
Finishing With Lamps Burning 