The top of Mt. Everest? Nope.

A tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Nope.

Ok, how about the North Pole? Nope.

Give up? How about right in the middle of a laughing crowd of seemingly carefree people? If that’s your guess, you guessed right. At least if you’re truly alone in a secluded place, you have God if you know him, and your self-consuming thoughts if you don’t. But when you’re standing amongst a lively group of people who are enjoying each other’s company, and they don’t seem particularly interested in enjoying yours, you are distracted from everything except your own loneliness.

I imagine just about every Sunday folks work up the courage to wander into churches, cautiously seeking a friendly face, and maybe Christ too, only to experience the despairing loneliness just described. Friends, churches are the last places on earth where anyone should feel lonely!

Same goes for here on MyChurch. Imagine signing up, witnessing the glorious camaraderie that goes on here, then nervously posting your first blog only to be completely overlooked. I know, folks who don’t make any effort to reach out probably expect to be overlooked to some degree. Or do they?

Tonight I’m far away from my family, and God is perhaps using this time of loneliness to remind me that there are people who are unable to escape their lonely lives. Even when I find myself in the midst of great fellowship, right beside me could be someone in the loneliest place on earth, struggling amid hopelessness and despair. Lord, may I never overlook or ignore them!