Why Did My Friend Go Away?
Bible Reading: Romans 8:35-39
Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39
FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD Holly lived in a foster home for several years. She was active in the youth group at her church and had a bunch of friends there. One summer, Holly went away for a week of church youth camp. When she got home, her foster parents told her she had to leave the next day to live in a group home in another state. The authorities had made the decision without talking to Holly or her foster parents.
Holly felt ripped from her friends and family, tossed into a strange new environment. Over the next weeks and months she felt wrenching loneliness.
You might never face a situation as severe as Holly's, but sooner or later everyone faces a loss or separation that ends in inward hurt.
Loneliness and sadness can hit you from many directions:
1. Life changes. As you grow up, your interests and values change. That affects who you spend time with - and who spends time with you.
2. Friends move away. Career moves and other reasons lead adults to uproot families and move away, sometimes yanking friends from your life.
3. Families sometimes split up. If your own parents separate or divorce, your relationships almost always change. That can cause deep loneliness.
4. Love sometimes leaves. When a boyfriend or girlfriend torpedoes a relationship, you feel hurt. Unloved. Devastated. You might figure that no one will ever love you again.
5. Loved ones die. There's nothing as painful as the ache of losing a parent, grandparent, sibling, or friend to death. Losing a pet can hit hard too.
What makes these painful situations even harder is that the loss might be completely beyond your control. But here's a great truth: Jesus is the one friend you can never lose. Every other relationship you have will someday change through moves, divorce, or death. But Jesus will always be there for you.
He won't move away or die. He won't change how he feels about you or dash your heart to pieces. He won't ever say, "That's the last straw! I'm leaving!" And he goes with you when you go through the loss of your earthly friends.
REFLECT: What in your life is making you lonely right now?
PRAY: Jesus, I'm grateful that you stick with me even when my other friends aren't around.
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About the Author
Internationally known author and speaker JOSH McDOWELL has spoken to more than ten million people in eighty-four countries at over 700 university and colleges. He has authored or coauthored more than one hundred books with more than forty-two million in print. McDowell's most popular works are The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter. His most recent book is The Last Christian Generation. He holds a graduate degree from Talbot Theological Seminary. He has been married to his wife Dottie for thirty-four years and has four children. Josh and Dottie live in Dana Point, California.
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From the ”One Year Book of Josh McDowell’s Youth Devotions 2”, by Josh McDowell and Ed Stewart. Used by permission.
Please learn more about the ministry of Josh McDowell at: www.beyondbelief.com
Copyright © 2004 Josh McDowell Ministry. All rights reserved.
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from Holy Bible, New Living Translation ©1996