Never alone

6:30. Time to get up. It’s still dark, and so cold without my blanket! But it’s time to get up. I’ve gotta follow the rules. It’s time to stretch. My companion is still asleep. I’m tired of trying to wake her up. She was still awake and working on something last night when I finally fell asleep around 11. I don’t understand her.

6:45. Ooooh, it’s chilly on the floor, but stretching feels good. Being alone….not so much. Why do I always feel so alone? I’m with someone almost 24/7. I guess physically being with someone doesn’t fulfill the need for friendship and companionship. It takes both parties, and I’m still learning how to do my part better. For now, I just feel alone. Every morning. By myself stretching.

6:50. Why? Why am I always so alone? You know, I guess I’m not really alone. There are tens of thousands of missionaries all over the world. At least a few thousand of them woke up at the same time as I did. Most of them are probably exercising or stretching right now too. Some of them might even be like me, no companion next to them. But we’re all together. None of us are alone in this work. Suddenly, I don’t feel so lonely.

It’s been over 2 years since I came home. Without a companion I find myself alone a lot more often, but I don’t feel lonely. Being alone and feeling alone are quite different things. We never have to feel alone when we stop and realize that someone else somewhere in time has gone through, or is going through, exactly what we are facing.

What’s hard for me is watching someone I love struggle with something I have never faced. How I wish I could take that hurt they feel away from them! Let me feel it! Give them a rest from the pain and anguish! Give their burden to me, even if for only a brief moment. Help me to understand what they are going through so I can comfort them!

But I can’t. It doesn’t work that way. And then I remember, it’s not meant to work that way. Christ has already done that for my friend. He’s done that for everyone. He’s felt everything we’ve ever felt or will ever feel. He understands my pain. He understands the pain of my friend. None of us are alone.

There will always be One we can turn to, One who knows us, One who understands us. I cannot understand my friend’s pain, but He can. He can comfort her where I can’t. Knowing that brings me comfort as well.

When those we love suffer, being there to console and comfort them is a wonderful thing to do, but ultimately the best thing we can do is help them find the comfort that only Christ can give. Turn their focus to the One who understands them, and they will never need to feel alone.