14 Scriptures for When You Are Feeling Lonely

If you are feeling lonely, you very well may be like the majority of Americans. Many of us struggle with loneliness even though most of us are not in quarantine anymore. However, loneliness is not incurable. When you are feeling lonely, you can turn to God’s word for encouragement. You can also find help for your loneliness by meeting with a Christian counselor.

By turning to scriptures that speak about loneliness, you can get help when you are feeling lonely. Review these fourteen scriptures when you need encouragement from the Lord. You will gain God’s perspective on loneliness and find comfort as you draw closer to him.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” – Genesis 2:18, NIV

Loneliness was never God’s design for us. Even before sin entered the world, God said that loneliness is not good. He created us to be in fellowship with one another, just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are in a relationship together. Your loneliness is a sign that you need to reach out to others because this is God’s design for you.

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” – Genesis 16:13, NIV

Hagar felt very lonely when Abraham cast her out of his household. But God ministered to her in the wilderness and spoke words of encouragement to her. If you feel like you are stuck in a wilderness, God sees you there and wants to comfort you. He never takes his eyes off you because he loves you so much.

So, Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. – Genesis 32:24, NIV

Jacob was in a lonely place when he wrestled with the Angel. It was right before he met up with his brother Esau after a long time apart, and he did not know what to expect. He was in a difficult transition that surely felt lonely to him. But God met him in that place, and after Jacob wrestled with the angel, he received a blessing. We can also wrestle with God and our loneliness and receive blessings from him even in the tough times.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. – Psalm 23:4-5, NIV

In our darkest valleys, we often feel like no one understands what we are going through, and that can feel lonely. However, God is with us in the valleys that we face. He is walking beside us, protecting us from spiritual attacks from our enemy Satan. He is also anointing us and setting us apart for his special purposes. The valleys of loneliness in our lives can be times when our faith grows the most.

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. – Psalm 25:16, NIV

You may feel lonely because your heart is afflicted with many hurts. But the Lord will turn to you and pour his grace over all the areas that cause you pain. If you are dealing with loneliness due to deep hurts, it is a wise idea to consult with a Christian counselor, who can help you unpack the hurts and heal from them.

God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. – Psalm 68:6, NIV

Are you lonely even inside of your biological family? God does not want you to suffer this way. It is why he created the church because people within the church can fill the gaps you have in your biological family. It is important to reach out to people in a local church so you can find encouragement in new relationships with safe people.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. – Proverbs 18:24, NIV

You may feel lonely because friends have let you down. But you cannot give up hope because there are plenty of people who are looking for friends just like you. A Christian counselor can advise you on connecting with friends who are safe people, ones who will preserve your best interests and serve as trustworthy companions.

There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless – a miserable business! – Ecclesiastes 4:8, NIV

Some of us very ourselves in our work to avoid feelings of loneliness. But work is not intended to fill the place that only people can fill for us. If you struggle with workaholism, you can break free from it with a counselor’s guidance. You may be addicted to your work, but a counselor can offer perspective and principles to help you start valuing relationships more.

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? – Ecclesiastes 4:11, NIV

This scripture makes it clear that God made us need each other. Each of us needs at least one friend to encourage us at each life stage we encounter. You need friends and mentors at every life stage to feel supported, and you need to be that kind of friend to other people as well. When you are feeling lonely, you can connect with people like this by reaching out to a local church.

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20b, NIV

Jesus made this promise to his disciples before he ascended into heaven after his resurrection. He is with us always through the power of prayer and in the presence of the Holy Spirit. When you feel lonely, remember that Jesus is praying for you before the father’s throne.

He is also reminding you of everything that the Bible says through the power of the Holy Spirit, so be sure to be meeting with him by reading the Bible every day.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. – Luke 5:16, NIV

Though Jesus was very busy ministering to so many people, he intentionally went to lonely places to connect to his father in prayer. Jesus knew that lonely places have a certain power to help us connect in deeper ways with God. You can also use your lonely times to draw closer to God your Father in prayer, seeking his will for your life and trusting Him to provide for all your needs.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. – Romans 8:9, NIV

You are not defeated by feeling lonely if you are a true believer of Jesus Christ. When you believe you are given the gift of the Holy Spirit as a constant companion. He advocates for you, offers wisdom to you, and enlightens your mind to the truths of God’s word. He will guide and lead you to ways that you can connect with others so you will not feel so lonely anymore.

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” – Hebrews 13:5b-6, NIV

We can find great comfort meditating on the truth that God will never leave us or forsake us. Though other people may let us down in these ways, God will never do this to us. He is our constant help who rescues us from the pain of broken human relationships. The more you trust God when you are lonely, the stronger your faith will be.

…not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:25, NIV

One of the main ways to combat loneliness is to continue meeting in person with other Christians. Going to weekly church services is good and attending regular small group meetings is even better. Both of these work together to keep us connected with other Christians and help us grow deeper in our faith. If you are not yet connected with a local church, do online research to find a church that suits you.

Christian Counseling for Loneliness

In the moments when you were feeling lonely, you can turn to these scriptures to feel lifted up. But if you truly need deliverance from your lonely feelings, you will need to reach out to others and risk connecting with them. If this is a struggle for you, you can meet with a Christian counselor to learn ways that you can connect with other people who will support and encourage you. There is help for your loneliness, and all you need to do is reach out to us to learn more.