"A SAINT MUST WALK ALONE"
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I found an article by A. W. Tozer somewhat disturbing. As the title above indicates, Tozer believed that loneliness is the Christian’s lot in life. He paints a joyless existence for those that give whole hearted devotion to Christ. Without a doubt, the prophets of old experienced loneliness, perhaps more so than saints feel today. That I don’t deny. While Christians are "set apart" from the world and may consider themselves "alone," it seems to me aloneness is not necessarily loneliness.
When I shared this thought with a friend, she wrote back:
“Aloneness seems to be a factual state; a person can really be alone in a real desert. But then I have to remember Jesus promised He would never leave us, and that means never. So if I “feel” alone or lonely, it is not necessarily true, but can be a state of mind, a feeling. I am talking here about our relationship with God. It helps me to remember that even when I don’t sense His presence, I can depend on His promise of always being there for us.” --Pat H.
I like her point that loneliness is a feeling. Surely, feelings of loneliness and rejection can leave a person devastated, causing him or her to cry out to God.
Tozer’s idea that Christians are “forced” into loneliness is where I depart from his message.
He wrote, “and because within his [a Christian’s] circle of friends there are so few who share inner experiences, he is forced to walk alone.”
I resist Tozer’s understanding that a Christian is "sentenced" to loneliness (my interpretation, not Tozer’s), but then I am someone who tends to view the glass “half full” instead of “half empty.”
Below is a link to the article. If you feel led, please read it. I’d love to hear your impressions.
Food for thought: What is the difference for you between “aloneness” and “loneliness”? When do you feel the most lonely?
