Why You're Still Lonely Even When You’re Not Alone
Psalm 103 • Matthew 18:21–35
Get the notes in SpanishHow many people truly know you?
Connectivity is not community.
We have become professional distancers.
Sometimes loneliness isn’t about the absence of people. Sometimes it’s about the distancing we’re doing.
God Doesn’t Distance Himself From Us
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.”Psalm 103:12
God put infinite distance between you and your sins so there could be zero distance between you and Him.
The first thing forgiveness does is remove the distance.
Two areas of loneliness are in our hands:
The distance we create between ourselves and God
The distance we create between ourselves and other people
Forgiveness Removes Distance
Jesus tells Peter to forgive not just seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Jesus isn’t raising the limit. He’s abolishing the count.
Forgiveness that is still counting isn’t forgiveness. It’s scorekeeping with distance growing.
Mercy Has to Get Into Our Heart
The servant was forgiven a debt he could never repay, but refused to forgive someone who owed him far less.
The forgiveness was declared over him, but it never got in him.
A heart that keeps a record of wrong will continue creating distance.
Unforgiveness becomes its own kind of solitary confinement.
You can end up alone, paying interest on a debt someone else owes you.
Forgiveness Is Not Saying It Didn’t Hurt
Forgiveness does not mean:
- What happened was okay.
- The hurt didn’t matter.
- There shouldn’t be accountability.
- You have to put yourself back into an unsafe relationship.
Forgiveness means allowing God to be the Judge.
“He entrusted himself to Him who judges justly.”
Forgiveness says:
“I want to cancel this debt. I want to let it go. God, help me let it go.”
Sometimes you have to pray that 77 times.
You Belong to God
“Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”Romans 14:8
The world says you belong to yourself.
God says you belong to Him.
God has loved you through your entire story.
He has seen everything.
He has redeemed some things already.
He is redeeming things right now.
And He will redeem it all for His glory.
I’m not alone.
I belong to Him.
Jesus Understands Loneliness
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”Matthew 27:46
Jesus knows what loneliness feels like.
And Jesus is also the One who said:
“Father, forgive them…”Luke 23:34
He knows what you feel, and He can help you today.
The Church Is a Community to Belong To
Distancing doesn’t work.
Real community in the Body of Christ does.
Church is not an event you go to.
It’s a community you belong to.
Reflection
“God, I don’t know how to do it, but I’m willing. Help me to forgive.”