Fear Factor: Overcoming the Fear of Isolation

2 Timothy 4:16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. ¹⁷ But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

So tell me – What are you most afraid of? Oh, come on, now—don’t be ashamed to admit it. Everybody has fears. Kids do, too, of course. One of the deepest childhood fears is to be abandoned. It is a fear of being lost in the mall; isolated from friends in the classroom; alone where nobody likes you; afraid of being picked last for the team or sitting at the end of the bench, away from all the really good players.

The apostle Paul felt isolated. He was writing to Timothy from prison in Rome. When Paul had first arrived in Rome, the Christians there reached out to him and came to visit him. But now, in this pinch, when the Christians could be in danger of suffering with him, they deserted Paul. No one came to visit him in prison anymore. No one gave him any support.

It would have been nice for the Christians to be at Paul’s side daily and support him, but Paul says, “May it not be held against them.” He prays that God would forgive them for their sin of deserting him. For this was a sin of weakness on their part. Even more important than having the Roman Christians standing with him, Paul says, “But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

You may feel isolated, too. Your best friend is now someone else’s best friend. You’ve started in a new school or are new at camp and don’t know anybody yet. Your parents aren’t together and so you spend significant time alone, apart from one parent or the other. Do you feel too tall, too tiny, too awkward, too uncoordinated, too unloved?

(Are you single and hating it? Are you searching for Mr. Right or Ms. Right, but nothing is happening? Has your spouse died and now you feel alone and isolated in your home? Do you feel ignored at home by your spouse? Do your teenagers lock themselves in their room with their iPods and come out only for food?)

Moses echoes the same advice as the apostle Paul: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Even if you feel isolated, abandoned and alone, you have a Savior God who is always with you. A Savior who knows exactly what you are feeling right now. For Jesus was born into a world that didn't want Him; He was misunderstood and hated by those whom He had come to save. He was deserted by His church, let down by His government, betrayed by a disciple, and deserted by His friends. Yet, never was there a time when Jesus didn’t love His enemies or pray for those who persecuted Him.

It's amazing how much we rely on our family and friends to be there when our life spirals out of control. When we face difficulties, it is great to have them by our side. But even if they aren’t there, we know that the Lord Jesus is always with us, protecting us and rescuing us from every evil attack.

We know that some people befriend us for many reasons. Some like to be seen with us. Some are looking for some benefit from us. Some are looking for our praise. When we don't give them what they wish, they desert us, and it breaks our hearts. But Jesus knows this all too well because He was forsaken by His own friends. But the reason Jesus came to earth was not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for us. He came to befriend us and give Himself for us. His love is so great that we know He will not desert us because He paid too high a price for us.

When we feel isolated, abandoned and alone, we need to remember Jesus’ love, find comfort in His strength and seek refuge in Him alone. So, there’s no reason to be afraid of being isolated. Amen.