Even Heroes Struggle with Loniliness

Ella Wheeler Wilcox, an American poet, wrote,

      "Laugh and the world laughs with you; Weep and you weep alone."

David writes Psalm 142 totally alone in a Cave hiding from Saul and those who pursued him.

Psalm 142:1–4 (NLT) I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy. 2 I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. 3 When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. 4 I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.

This Psalm is first comforting because it's part of the human experience... even for someone as heroic as David. Think of it. They used to be singing about David. That's what the world does when you're on top and winning. He was the one who led the armies of Israel over convincing victories. He was the one who turned their fortunes 180 degrees by killing Goliath. He was the one the nation loved.

But now he was hunted and hated. And there was no social media or instant news reports to hear any other side of the story. As far as he knew, he was an enemy of the King and the state.

He was alone.

And yet not.

He told God his troubles. He poured out his heart. He turned to Him and let Him know what was going on in his life. 





Psalm 142:5–7 (NLT) Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. 6 Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. 7 Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me.”

There's a great part to being alone. You can meet God without distraction! We don't get this in our world of hyper-interconnection. Everyone is a click or call away. The world can hear whatever we want to say in a moment. But David had the privilege of total privacy - with God. He declares, "You are all I really want in life." 

David wanted God because he spent time with God. He watched the sheep alone for hours. Remember how his father left him alone with the sheep while Samuel interviewed all 7 of his brothers for the kingship before he. That must have been typical for David... to be alone with God.

Christian, get alone with God. Because there will be times when the world will walk out on you - no matter what you were in the past. There will be times when you have no one else. And as hard as it is, turn to your Father in heaven and fall in love with His presence once again.