Not-So-Lonesome Solitude: A Letter to the Lonely Cornellian
By michaela dumlao
Sweet, sweet summer is upon us; and for me, sweet truly captures the nostalgia this season brings. I recall the summers of my childhood, when my dad would take me and my sister camping. We’d spend our days laughing and our nights snuggled up in blankets by a campfire. There is something so beautiful about sitting in the middle of presumably nowhere, but knowing that others are there alongside you, enjoying that same not-so-lonesome solitude.
Together, but not. As Christians, we “were called in one body” in Christ. [1] As the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one, we are called to be one with one another. In John 17:20, Jesus prays that those who believe in Him are united as one body: “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one. I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” [2]
This call to community, however, does not dispute our call to personal, individual relationships with the Lord. Jesus Himself is an example of this, as He throughout His life “would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” [3] Jesus spent time in community with His disciplines and in solitude, sometimes even calling them away to rest: “And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”’ [4] I’ve found this sense of not-so-lonesome solitude in my walk with God to be a quizzical paradox. As followers of Christ, we are indeed one body, and are to operate together as one body. However, it is also important for each of us to draw close to our Heavenly Father individually.
Summertime provides a unique opportunity to intentionally draw near to the Lord in desolate places. At Cornell, we are blessed to have a vibrant Christian community on campus, and for many of us, coming back home can feel challenging. While some of us come home to communities that love Jesus, others of us come home to non-believing families and friends. Graduating seniors are tasked with moving away from the centralized, accessible community at Cornell. In the latter circumstances, community can feel distant and discouragement creeps in.
But take heart, my friends; you are indeed, not alone. Perhaps it is comforting to know that many of us are facing seasons of lonesomeness. Yet, if we face “lonesome” periods with the Lord Almighty Himself by our side, and if we are facing lonesomeness together, are we truly alone? While phone calls, text messages, and FaceTimes are no substitutes for shared time in-person, we can steward this time away to also be away, together, through mutual prayer and encouragement.
In the times we feel most alone, it is all the more important that we lean not on our feelings but on God’s word. Romans 8:38-39 assures us that “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [5] How amazing it is that we have a God who is “gentle and lowly in heart,” who calls us to rest in Him? [6] How sweet it is that the God of the universe loved us so much, that He drew near to our brokenness to pay our debt on the cross? When we are tempted to draw away, we can rest in Him who draws near to those who call on Him. [7]
When we find ourselves uncomfortable in a different set of circumstances, we can find refuge in our God, who is steadfast, constant, and unchanging in His love for us. If we are the only believer in our household, praise God for the opportunity to glorify Him in our actions, as we let our “light shine before others.” [8] In those moments of weakness, let us turn to our Heavenly Father. What a blessing it is to reckon with our own insufficiency, so that we can more fully see the sufficiency of Jesus’ blood. Though we may feel weak, though we may feel alone, we have a God who will never leave or forsake us. [9] Our God has been faithful from generation to generation—we have an entire book of witnesses testifying to His faithfulness to us! We can abide in Him, not leaning on our own understanding, but trusting in Him with all of our heart. [10]
This summer, some of us may truly be in the middle of nowhere, while others may be somewhere familiar, yet still feel alone. There is a beautiful truth in the not-so-lonesome solitude: we are never truly alone. We have a God who sees us, hears us, and invites us to rest in His everlasting love.
SOURCES
[1] Colossians 3:15 ESV
[2] John 17:20 ESV
[3] Luke 5:16 ESV
[4] Mark 6:31–32 ESV
[5] Romans 8:38-39 ESV
[6] Matthew 11:29 ESV
[7] Psalm 145:18 ESV
[8] Matthew 5:16 ESV
[9] Hebrews 13:5 ESV
[10] Proverbs 3:5 ESV