I used to tell my friends that I was so introverted I could happily spend a year alone. Well, after that claim was put to the test in 2020, I take it all back.
In March 2020, I excitedly moved to northwest Arkansas from Nashville, Tennessee, for my dream job in Bible publishing. Because I had relocated across the country before, I figured I knew what to expect.
Enter the COVID-19 pandemic. I ended up spending the better part of 2020 and early 2021 completely alone in a new and very different place with just a little calico cat to keep me company.
I could only do so many Pinterest recipes, Marie Kondo-style closet cleanouts and DIY projects in an 800-square-foot apartment before even my introverted little heart longed for a meal out with a friend, a night with my book club, and a morning of worship in church with my Bible study group. To say it was a hard year feels like an understatement.
Early on in the pandemic, I wrote the sentence “You are not alone” on the letter board that hung in my cluttered and cozy living room. Throughout the next 12 months, I found my eyes drifting to this board every time my heart ached for the rich community I once knew.
One morning, as I bumbled through my quiet time and grew increasingly weary, I fell upon Psalm 46. Verse 1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” My heart lifted in a way it hadn’t for a while as I read that not only was I never alone, but also God was my refuge, my strength and my dependable and loving helper. What struck me most was that God was “always ready to help.” I felt lonely, discouraged and just plain over it — but God was there, ready to help as He always had been.
Things didn’t progress completely smoothly after that, but I will say that realizing I was not alone strengthened my heart in a way I hadn’t been expecting. Each time I had a pang of loneliness or a moment of sadness, I reminded myself that God was with me. He always had been, and He always would be.
No matter what you’re facing today, may the truth of God’s ever-present help bring you the peace, comfort and hope it brought me time and time again. Oh, and if you want to try a different recipe or are looking for a new hobby, just let me know — I’ve tried them all by now.
God, thank You that You are a God who never leaves us alone. How encouraging to be reminded that You are our refuge, our strength and our helper. Let us feel Your presence as we move throughout our day today. Continue to strengthen us with this promise of Your presence, and attune our hearts to hear Your comforting and hope-filled words. Thank You for who You are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
