It’s amazing to me that the things we do to “live it up” actually leave us feeling less alive.
Real life must not look like our ways living, because our living leaves us lonely.
Loneliness is an epidemic in our culture. With so many surface-level ways to connect, we long for something deeper and real. We want to be known and to know.
A recent study showed that those who “over share” on Facebook are 98% more likely to confess that they are lonely (read the article here).
That’s the offer Jesus gives us: He gives us an invitation into a relationship where we are known completely and loved anyway.
That sounds wonderful and simple. Until you let Jesus talk about it…
“I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:24-25 ESV
This past Sunday I told my friends at Vortex “if you really want to live, you need to die every day.”
That’s crazy talk.
It makes more sense to say this: “If you really want to live, do every thing within your power to nurture and sustain your life.”
That’s not what Jesus says about living, though.
In John 12, Jesus tells us that if we try to keep our lives, we’ll end up all alone, but if we’re willing to let go of our lives we’ll gain His kind of life… a life that never ends.
If you’re struggling with loneliness, you’re most likely struggling within your relationship with Jesus. You’re probably overcommitted to something that’s very comfortable but holding you back from Him.
The secret to overcoming loneliness lies in what Jesus describes the grain of wheat does… it falls into the earth and dies.
Leave your comfort zone behind.
Die to yourself.
Embrace His life coming alive inside you.
Follow His voice as it’s revealed in the Scriptures and personally.
And… you know what? You’ll find a life that matters, has meaning, and repels loneliness.
It’s funny isn’t it? Dying is the gateway to living.
“Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.’ Luke 9:23-24 (NLT)
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In what ways do you need to die to yourself to embrace the life Jesus wants to give you?
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