We have all felt lonely at some point in our lives. We have all felt like the only person dealing with a certain trial. We have all felt like we need to be saved from a certain circumstance. And we all need Jesus each and every day to rescue us!
One area where I feel lonely in my life is parenting a teenager. I have a 14-year-old and some days, I just don’t know which direction to take. If any of you have teenagers you know how sensitive and emotional they can be. Oh, and did I mention lazy!? As a parent of a teenager, I want so badly to protect my teen from this broken world yet let her live and learn so she can function and find success in this world. It is a hard balance for me at times. How do I meet the emotional needs of my teenager and prepare her for hard things in the future?
When I start to feel lonely, in any area of my life, but especially parenting a teenager, I turn to Jesus and God’s word rather than finding the answers from worldly things.
One story in the Bible that stands out to me when I feel lost and lonely, is the parable of the lost sheep.
“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he finds it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” Luke 15:3-7
It may seem foolish for the shepherd to leave 99 sheep to go search for just one. But the shepherd knew that 99 would be safe, whereas the lost sheep was in danger. Because each sheep was of high value, the shepherd knew that it was worthwhile to search diligently for the lost one.
God’s love for just one individual is so great that he seeks out each one and rejoices when that one person is found. It might not be easy to understand a God who would forgive sinners who come to him for mercy. But a God who tenderly searches for sinners and joyfully forgives them must possess an extraordinary love! This is the kind of love that prompted Jesus to come to earth to search for lost people and save them. This is the kind of extraordinary love that God has for you. A love that would save you through any of life’s toughest circumstances!
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