Never Alone: Finding God in Loneliness and Despair

Depressed, sad, fearful, unmotivated—we’re a generation that lives in disconnection. We’ve been through a pandemic that separated us. The technology that seems to connect us all makes us feel farther apart than ever. The number of Americans with no friends has grown four times. The number of Americans with depression is increasing. The problem is easy to define, and the solution is elusive. Elijah felt depressed, sad, fearful, and unmotivated. Hunted like an animal, he fled to the wilderness. Israel had been reduced to almost nothing—he was all alone. Or so he thought. But as he huddled in the back of a cave while natural disasters occurred outside, God spoke to him. God let him know that he’s never alone. God is always faithful. He has a mission for Elijah to go forth and anoint the next generation. Where we are little and desolate, God waits to renew us. When we are alone, there is silence. What a gift. We can turn to God in prayer and hear Him whisper in our hearts. He tells us that we are loved—that we have an identity as beloved sons and daughters of God—and that He has a mission for us. If we just listen, we will hear, and then we can go forth to build His kingdom. And God gives us a companion. In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant is hidden at the back of a cave right where Elijah stood. It’s pivotal because it led the Israelites into battle to certain victory. In the Book of Revelation, the Ark of the Covenant appears in the sky, accompanied by natural disasters. Then Mary replaces it. She comes to earth and brings forth Jesus, who ascends to His throne. It’s clear that Mary is given to us as the new Ark of the Covenant—who accompanies us and helps us build the kingdom of heaven on earth. So let us turn to God in prayer and listen. If we do not hear Him in the silence, let us listen to our lives. He longs to tell us who we are and what we must do. Then let us go forth to the mission that He gives us. May Mary, who is full of grace, give us the grace of God so we can have the strength of God to achieve His will.