People are dying of loneliness. … Literally. …. Dying. But there is a solution and it is in your local church.
Researchers
at Brigham Young University (BYU) recently published a study which showed that
lonely people have a 30% increased likelihood of premature death. According to the
study, loneliness is as great a risk factor for early death as smoking, obesity
and alcoholism.
This fits
with the findings of earlier studies at the University of Chicago which found
that loneliness can increase the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone linked to
higher rates of stroke and heart attack.
What makes
this a serious public health issue is that there are more people living alone now
than in more than a century. Twenty-seven percent of households are single
person homes, according to the US Census Bureau. This is up from 17% of
households in 1970.
“We need
to start taking our social relationships more seriously,” said Julianne
Holt-Lunstad, co-author of the BYU study.
But, the study
also found the opposite to be true. People with healthy, supportive
relationships tend to be healthier, happier and to live longer. “The
secret of living longer,” the study concluded, “is to not be alone.”
For more information see:
God’s
Solution
None of this is the least bit surprising. All the way back in the Garden of Eden, even
before sin entered the world, God said that loneliness was not good.
“Then the
LORD
God
said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a helper
suitable for him’” (Gen. 2:18). God’s solution for the first not-good-thing in
all the creation was intimacy with another person.
As these studies show, relationships
are just as important today for good health and happiness as they were for Adam.
And the Church is a great place to foster good, healthy relationships.
The Bible says
a great deal about the value of relationships. In Psalm 133:1-3 God says that it
is “good and pleasant” when people dwell together in unity. He compares it to
precious oil poured on the head and running down into the beard (a really good thing in that culture) and
to dew on the mountains. Oil and dew are images for God's blessings. The Psalmist
is saying that relationships, good friendships, are a God-given gift. (See also
Psalm 15, Prov. 17:17, John 13:34-35, Philemon 4-7).
“God’s
preventive for loneliness is intimacy – meaningful, open, sharing relationships
with one another,” said Neil T. Anderson, founder of Freedom in Christ
Ministries. And, the Church is a great place to find these kinds of intimate
relationships.
In fact, the Church is
perfectly equipped to provide opportunities for life-saving friendships.
From
classes and Bible studies, to discussion and prayer groups, to ministry and
service teams, to one-on-one mentoring, to pot-luck dinners
and Sunday morning coffee times, the typical church has dozens of opportunities
for people to meet, connect and grow friendships.
As people
become increasing disconnected and isolated from each other one of the most important
things the Church can offer is a way to make friends and build relationships. Life with friends is better in every way.
More Relationship Quotes
"Remember, we are to be ministers of grace to each other. We are to seek to be avenues of the Holy Spirit to help the other person appropriate the grace of God." ---Jerry Bridges
"The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion." ---John Wesley
"Association promotes assimilation. A Christian who lives in isolation from other believers will fail to receive the blessings as well as the maturity resulting from godly interaction." ---Joel Beeke
"Some Christians try to go to heaven alone, in solitude. But believers are not compared to bears or lions or other animals that wander alone. Those who belong to Christ are sheep in this respect, that they love to get together. Sheep go in flocks, and so do God's people." ---Charles H. Spurgeon
"Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly intercourse than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation." ---Charles H. Spurgeon
"Satan watches for those vessels that sail without a convoy." ---George Swinnock
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