In our world, there is an epidemic of loneliness that stems from our need of feeling loved by friends, siblings, parents, or God. Often, the perceived absence of this cherished love is the tipping point where some of us lose hope in the brighter days of tomorrow. It is in these moments of hurt that families get ripped apart, relationships break, and the people we thought were on our team become distant and extinct. You could say that this debilitating experience of needing to feel loved has enveloped at least one moment of our precious mortal life, making the bright day of tomorrow seem like a silly wish that will never come.
In moments likes these, all we want to do it hit the snooze button on life one more time. But before our hand can hit the button that we know won’t help, someone takes hold of our hand and pulls us out of bed. The pull us from that state of grief because they show us the love that we need. Today, I want to talk about how we can be that someone for others and how we can let God be that someone for us.
To start off, imagine a 10th grade high schooler, who is eager for the school year to begin. Watching this highschooler go throughout the year, you start to realize that everyone seems to know him, and he seems to know them. Additionally, you observe that this highschooler always seems to have a cheerful countenance; however, you may have missed the heavy weight that weighs down this highschooler. While you see a cheerful happy smile, this highschooler is forcing a smile because he feels alone, he feels like he doesn’t fit in, and he feels like no one knows him or sees him.
One day, his friend, who seems to see past every front that this highschooler puts up, asks if everything is okay. With that question, the highschooler breaks down and tells his friend everything that is weighing him down. Together, they lift each other up, deepening their bond further. This friend was that someone to him.
Now, imagine a college student that got right off of thanksgiving break, eagerly preparing for finals. As you watch the weeks unfold, you come to know that this college student has little homework, has friends, serves others, and is again always happy. In the view that you have of this college student, it would seem that everything is going well for him; however, there is many things that we don’t see.
With each day, this student feels the pressures of finals. During the first week back from break, this student’s girlfriend decides to break things off. From this first week, this student is hoping for relief, but that is far away. He goes home for the weekend and witnesses his parents arguing. What he hoped would be the relief that he needed is another stab into his delicate heart. This student, although seemed to have everything going well, is facing a dark and gloomy day. Battling through the next few weeks, few small moments of relief come for this student, but he wonders when this day will end.
In his darkest of times, a friend from his mission bumps into him while going to lunch. Instead of walking on, this friend turns around and walks with this college student. While they talk, this college student opens up about the dark burden that he has been holding. It is this interaction that the college student finds the peace that he needs. This friend is that someone that made the gloomy day turn into a brighter tomorrow.
Lastly, I want you to image a new Elder that has been in the mission field for a few weeks. All you hear about this Elder’s experience is the weekly emails he sends. With each email, you hear about the joy that he is having; you hear about the new things that have happened, and you feel the energy that this Elder has for the mission.
This, however, is not the complete story of what this Elder faces. This Elder is six thousand miles away from home; he doesn’t know anyone in the country or mission; he doesn’t connect well with his companion or mission president; and topping it all off, every week his parents bring him news of someone passing away. With no clear way of getting out, all this missionary can do is plead with God to bring him peace, but that doesn’t come as quickly as he would hope. Who does this missionary turn to? Who is his someone that will rescue him? That someone is God and God alone.
In each of these stories, we see someone who appears to be in the brighter days of tomorrow but is experiencing the gloomy days of today. Their pain is hidden, but someone noticed it because they genuinely loved that person. That person was God. He knew the highschooler’s pain, the grieft of the college student, and He knew the loneliness that the Elder felt. With this knowledge, He sent help in the form of a friend, or himself.
So I implore each of you to let God guide you to the one that is experiencing a gloomy day. Additionally, I want you to consider these questions. Parents, how can you show your kids that you are proud of them and that you love them? Children, how can you show your parents that you appreciate them? Ministering brothers and sisters, how can you show a genuine care for your friends? Lastly, for those of you experiencing a gloomy day of today, when will you let Christ heal you through your friends?
In conclusion, we may not see those that are experiencing this epidemic of loneliness, but we can be the one to provide that soothing remedy of love that they need. I know each of us has someone on our mind and I know that we can help them, if we let God be our guide. I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.