Party of One: The #1 Reason You Feel Like You’re Walking Alone

Where Are My People?

Walking alone can be lonely for some. Ever feel like you’d be happier, more successful, further along in life, in your faith, in your goals – if only you had someone who understood you? Someone who could relate to you?

You’re tired of the let downs, friends and family who don’t come through when they said they would, or who show up with less than you expected them to bring.

How many of you right now feel like you’re walking alone, saying – “It’s just me and Jesus.”

We know all too well that nothing in God’s creation was meant to thrive alone – on an island – in and of itself.  And, that couldn’t be truer than for the crown of His creation, mankind.

We all want and need to feel wanted and needed. We all want to be loved. And, even if it’s not a crowd of people, we all want our own crew, tribe, or squad who “gets” us – without long explanations, awkward moments of silence or needing a tribe manual.

While this place of purposed isolation may feel uncomfortable and lonely, it’s not exactly a bad place to be.  It’s necessary right now for you to be where you are, feel what you’re feeling, find your way through it all – alone. Why?

Here’s what God whispered to me…

Your cocoon was designed
for a party of one.

God’s Got a Secret for You

There’s some secret stuff going on between you and God. You may not even be aware of it or understand it all, but God does.

You are being made, and God’s strategy and process is not up for public consumption, comment, distraction, or interference. Everyone can’t go where you’re going; we can’t pack folks into our cocoon!

Did you forget how Coach Jesus rolls?

Many times in our playbook, the Bible, Jesus takes His people away from the crowds to perform His miracle. Study the passage of the deaf and mute man (Mark 7:32-37) or the blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26).

It is in this “alone time” with Jesus that your greatest healing, miracle, or victory will take place.

God’s Invitation to Isolation

Consider it a blessing and count it all joy to be the recipient of God’s special, private work in your life. God thought enough of you to take you off to the side, alone, just you and Him, to produce mind-boggling greatness in your life.

You wouldn’t want to mess that up, right?

Here are a few reasons to graciously accept God’s invitation to isolation:

1. The process isn’t always pretty.

If there’s one thing we all care about – it’s appearances. No one signs up to be embarrassed; no one wants to look bad in front of others. Here’s where God’s cocoon of grace and mercy shields us – He allows us to go through the bad and the ugly under the privacy of His wings (Psalm 91:4).

Do you think the deaf and mute man appreciated being alone with Jesus when He spit on His finger and touched his tongue? Would you have accepted this healing action if everyone was standing around looking? Have you ever screwed up your process so badly, and God’s love hid your faults (*insert praise break*)?

Private moments are the strongest building blocks of our journey. Take a look back in gratitude that no one was around to witness or criticize your process.

2. No competition for your focus.

Sure, you want someone to talk “it” over with, you’d love to hang out with the girls or the boys, but when God has you in a place of isolation with Him, there is no competition for His voice.

Having people around you during your time of process can add much unneeded static to the line between you and God. God wants you to be able to hear Him clearly, without others intentionally or unintentionally poisoning the water. God’s voice will always be loudest in the midst of alone time with Him.

3. Only God gets the glory.

Sure, they prayed, preached, and testified you to where your faith is now. But, there comes a point where “the crowd” has to drop you off to Jesus and let Him take it from there.

In both passages above, the men were “brought to Jesus by the crowd”.  God knows the heart of all men. Many of us can only go so far before we get it twisted:

“I was the one who took you to church. If it wasn’t for me…” 

There will be no sharing of God’s glory through the private work He’s doing in you! No one will be able to stake their claim, stick their chest out, and boast about what they did for you.

The secret things belong to God (Deuteronomy 29:29), and as such, He will not share His secret’s glory with another.

So, What’s the Play Call?

Learn to be okay with your isolated seasons.  You’re in the best hands in the Universe – God’s, and this season can only work for your good. Let God process you in your cocoon, and shape you to come out stronger, richer in faith, and fit for the Master’s use.

Once you take your focus off who’s not here and honor God who is always near, you’ll realize that you never walk alone.

Here’s a little (throwback) cocoon music for your journey…