Never Alone

"Never Alone" is a guest post by Angie Murray-Bellerive


Winter is here. It sort of snuck up on us like a thief in the night. The days were deceptively bright with sunshine; then at night, a thick blanket of frost layered on everything, killing it for the long cold season ahead.

Winter is so much like a dining alone when you would so much rather have someone with you. Going into a restaurant and saying, “one, there’s just one today; just me.” For many, there’s an uncomfortable chill that goes with those words. We have those times when loneliness sets in and there’s not much anyone can do about it. So many times we feel like everything that should be alive around us is dead.

So, what do you do? Is there something we can do about that gap in our lives that feels cold and empty? Is there a way we can make the glossy green leaves stay on the trees or the water stay warm or the flowers cling to the stems? Is there a way?

The warmth we seek can’t be found in forcing the seasons to remain in the summer mode. Real warmth and real comfort and real contentment is found deep within us.
The medical community have told me that I do not have long to live due to cancer that was found. When I was told, it was like a city closing its doors and dust bowls sweeping and rolling took the place of bustling activities. How can this be? Now what? It was spring, but it felt like winter. The loneliness and the fear that crept up could not be measured by anyone.

The only thing that never took root was fear. How was that possible? It was possible because I knew that prayer changed things, even really big things like a death prediction. The folks in the community of faith told me that I was not alone. Was that true? Even bigger was that no one is ever alone, no matter what they are going through and no matter what has happened. Where mistakes have been made, forgiveness was freely given. Those mistakes that the bible calls sin, are washed away just for the asking.

The pain in our lives may not go away, but we can certainly continue to pray that it does. Healing is possible in many cases if we are faithful and pray fervently. It doesn’t always happen right away, and sometimes for reasons that no one understands, doesn’t happen at all, but we are not ever left alone.

When Christ promised that a part of himself, the Holy Spirit would remain with us, He meant it. When we have that dining alone feeling, we can remember that we are not truly alone. Jesus is always with us. He came to forgive us, heal us and make us new. All we have to do is ask, and He will be there.

Photo credit: Sarah Dalziel