1. Loneliness Genesis 2:18a

2. And the Lord God said, " It is not good that man should be alone…

3. Definition of Loneliness I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath. Job 7:16

4. Definition of Loneliness 1.Being the only person in a group who stands up from the truth, refusing to participate in questionable activities. 2. Loneliness can be the emptiness a mother feels when the last child leaves home. 3. Loneliness can be in the midst of a crowd knowing no one and being ignored, or avoided.

5. Loneliness & being Alone are not the same And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. Matthew 14:23

6. Loneliness & being Alone are not the same 1. Just as we need human companionship, we also need periods of aloneness for our mental and physical well-being. 2. Christ Himself is an example of a person who needed to be alone at times. 3. Loneliness affects everyone differently depending upon the intensity and the duration.

7. Causes of Loneliness 1. Basic temperament, attitudes that affect a persons outlook on life. a)Phlegmatic (low, lethargic) b)Choleric (quick, fiery, passionate) c)Sanguine (warm, cheerful, enthusiastic, optimistic) d)Melancholic (somber, grave, sad)

8. Causes of Loneliness 1.Population boom 2.Self-love 3.No sense of direction and/or no goals in life.

9. The Solution To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;

10. The Solution A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

11. The Solution a. “never make decisions on blue days.” b. We do not have to dwell in the “cellars” of our emotions. c. Abraham Lincoln said “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” c. Abraham Lincoln said “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

12. The Solution Everyone should have respect for themselves but not to the extent of having a selfish love for self that involves the exclusion of others.

13. Conclusion 1. Everyone faces loneliness at one time or another. a. There is a time for such things (Ecc 3:1-8) but only a time, they are not meant to consume your life. 2. The way to overcome it is change our view toward life, refrain from selfishness, correct the problem, and find direction in life.