Bible Study
Being a Friend of God
Loneliness, Part 1
Do you feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness? Escaping those feelings must begin with a meaningful connection to your Creator. Only when God has met your ultimate need for relationship will you be able to have healthy friendships with people. In this study, you’ll discover how to develop a close friendship with God.
A. Recognize that loneliness is healed by first having an intimate relationship with Christ.
1. Accept that God loves you.
If you feel lonely, you’ve probably begun to wonder, What’s wrong with me? Why doesn’t anyone like me? Perhaps you’ve even begun to feel unworthy or unwanted.
No matter how people treat you, God loves you and sees you as valuable. Look up the following Scriptures and write a short description of what each promises to those who are in Christ.
2. Remember that God alone can meet all your needs, all the time.
As wonderful as other humans may be, they will eventually fail you in some way. Perhaps you will be misunderstood, ignored, or forgotten. Only God can fully meet your heart’s deepest cries for “togetherness.”
Look up the following verses, and write a summary of what each passage says about our unity with God:
- 1 Corinthians 6:17
- John 14:16-18, 23
When you feel lonely, read these scriptures out loud, and ask God to remove your loneliness. Until your deepest need for companionship is met by Him, you’ll be unlikely to develop healthy, intimate friendships with others.
B. You must give time and energy to develop a close friendship with God.
1. Friends spend time together.
This is the first and most important aspect of being God’s friend. Unless we develop our relationship by sitting in His presence, following His voice throughout the day, and spending time reading the Scriptures, we won’t experience all the benefits of knowing Christ.
- Which aspects of a relationship with God (listed above) do you consistently practice? |
- What obstacles hold you back from devoting yourself fully to your relationship with God?
One of the best ways to develop your friendship with the Lord is to pour out your heart to Him. Honestly express how you feel—joyful, excited, angry, disappointed, hurt, or even bored.
Read Psalm 27:4-14.
- How is David’s relationship with God similar to a friendship between two people?
- How is it different?
2. Friends care about each other’s concerns. Scripture says, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).
- Write a short prayer, giving today’s anxieties to the Lord.
As your friendship with God develops, you won’t only share concerns with Him—you’ll begin to care about the things on His heart, too.
- What does Micah say God requires of us (Mic. 6:8)?
- Ask God for a practical way that you can fulfill at least one of those requirements within the next week.
3. Friends find joy in their relationship with each other.
Because God is the author of fun, joy, laughter, and happiness, we shouldn’t be surprised when our relationship with Him brings us supernatural joy.
King David wrote: “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Ps. 16:11).
- Why do you think people don’t usually associate God with pleasure?
- Ask God to let you experience “fullness of joy” in His presence.
Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
- What does the “abundant life” mean to you?
- How does Satan (“the thief”) typically attack you personally?
- Read John 15:10-11. Why do you think obeying God’s commands brings us joy?
Closing: God wants to meet your most intimate need for connection and oneness. As you draw closer to Him, your loneliness will be replaced by a deep, comforting, and life-changing relationship with Him.
Prayer: Lord, when I feel lonely, I confess that I forget You want to be my best Friend. Forgive me for looking to people first, and teach me how to know and love You better. Please meet my need for companionship. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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