Loneliness has been called a silent killer because it eats away at our mental, emotional, relational and spiritual well-being. It’s invisible and can be hidden like this virus.

Our well-being is affected by so many unknowns and consequence to staying inside can pull us back from any connection.

Some of the feelings we are experiencing in this season remind me of my childhood.

At 10 years old, I had lost my dad. I had no way of reconciling what I was feeling. I felt completely alone. Personal pain and personal loss made me feel deep loneliness and sadness.

I lived in an orphanage, and then went far off to a boys boarding school for longer periods of time, away from friends, family, and people I knew. I would often come back in the summer to the orphanage for a short recess; something deeper was missing. I remember craving a deep connection, yearning for friendships.

When I lived in the orphanage I was often sent far away to a boarding school for longer periods of time. In the summer I would return for a short recess however something was still missing. I remember craving a deep connection, yearning for friendships.

I tried to cover my sadness with sports, hard work and other activities, but that loneliness was there, wearing me down.

I know that we are all trying our best to help reduce the risk to one another by staying home. It is a strange situation.

Even though we are all in this together, we are still physically apart and that’s hard to handle. What we are experiencing is shaking us to the core. We are feeling anxious, scared, uncertain, this can lead to loneliness and disconnection.

So how do we cope?

How do we climb out of the shadow and weight of sadness and loneliness and disconnection? I’ve been wrestling with that question as I’ve been calling folks and learning more about how each of them is facing life these days.

As I looked to the scriptures, the book of Psalms gave me hope and perspective.

Psalms 146:8 the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down. This Psalm first lists a group of people who are feeling overwhelmed with life and circumstances and are bowed down. Oppressed. Hungry. Sourjoners. And Bowed down. He is speaking of people who are vulnerable.

The word bowed down catches my attention.

It’s someone burdened, or depressed. I visualize someone cut from life, purpose and meaning because they are sitting under the weight.

We are burdened right now by a load of care about our finances, housing, schooling, relationships and the uncertainty of the future.

The psalmist is saying God LIFTS those who are bowed down. the God of hope comes along and lifts up, renews hope and invigorates. God has got you, he is on your side. He is for you. He is watching over you. He is watching over all of us.

How exactly does God lift us up and what about the loneliness we feel?

Psalm 68 says: God sets the lonely in families.

This Psalm is talking about the gift of connection we can find in a family.

Family doesn’t have to be only biological, it can be spiritual family, relational family, and emotional and work family. Family speaks of relationships.

Key: A family is a place you can share your story, and your struggle. Families create space for us to move towards each other. Even if we are quarantined and alone, God gives us a family.

We get inspired, nurtured, affirmed and nourished in a family.

Even in our isolation we can find a Facebook private group, join in on a zoom call, send a text, or call someone who lives alone. This can move you towards connection.

I recently read a quote from Brene Browne. She says, "Staying vulnerable is a risk we have to take if we want to experience connection." We can’t hide when we are in a family.

It’s been 35 years since I lived in the orphanage where I learned the value of finding a community of people at school and at church. In these communities I found permission to share my life story and my struggles. I was pointed to someone greater; his name is Jesus.

Friends, you can find community even in a virtual world. You don’t need to share the same physical space to share your hearts with one another.