Soul Sculpting Project: From Loneliness to Connection with God

January 8, 1930 “This, this has been the finest year of my life. And I have done nothing but open windows – God has done all the rest.

There have been few, if any, conspicuous achievements. There has been a succession of marvelous experiences of the friendship of God. I feel that it would have been impossible to have held much more without breaking with sheer joy.

It was the loneliest year, in some ways the hardest year of my life, but the most gloriously full of. . . friendship with God.” Frank Laubach

As he wrote this, Laubach was far from his family, working on a literacy project in the Philippines with a group of people who did not easily welcome him. He was lonely.

Q and A on Loneliness

Q. What is loneliness?

A. When our desire for connection with others differs from the actual connection we have.

Being alone does not create loneliness. Loneliness can be experienced in a crowded room. Loneliness is created when our perceived desire for connection is not adequately met.

Q. What is happening in our brain?

A. When we feel that we are socially isolated our brain neurons (dopaminergic) get busy firing off messages to us. Their goal: to motivate us to search for social interactions.

Q. Is loneliness common?

A. On the average Americans feel lonely about 48 days a year.

The U.S. has categorized one-third of the population as ‘lonely.’ Great Britain claims nine million lonely citizens. Great Britain’ s government is addressing the issue by creating a new department and a Minister of Loneliness.

Q. Does loneliness affect health?

A. Chronic loneliness is associated with health challenges like increased blood pressure and cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and a suppressed immune system. Loneliness is also linked to depression, anxiety and PTSD. When it comes to long-term health and longevity, chronic loneliness is as bad as smoking cigarettes.

Laubach’s desire for human connection was not met. However, in the midst of this loneliness, God entered and met Laubach’s need for connection. In his loneliness Laubach experienced the Friendship of God and this created “sheer joy,” the best year of his life.

Our God seeks connection with us.

How can we seek connection with God? How can we experience the Friendship of God?

Research suggests: When we share our deepest feelings, thoughts, and experiences with another we tend to feel connected, no longer lonely.

I invite you to join me this week in an exercise of freely sharing our mind and heart with God.

Soul Sculpting Project: Share and Connect

In our Fixed Moment of Prayer

• For a minute (or so) each day this week share your feelings, thoughts, and experiences with God.

This might be causal mind-wandering or deliberately chosen topics.

Share with God as you long to share with a friend. If it feels appropriate, do some listening, as well.

May you and I experience the Friendship of God this week.

Laubach continued to pursue and find Friendship with God in 1930 and this pursuit of constant connection with God became his life project.

Laubach, also continued his literacy work in the Philippines that year and became a welcome member of the Moro Tribe. Over the next many years Laubach created a worldwide program that has helped 60 million people to read in their own language.