Robin_Williams-Esquire The tragic suicide of comedian Robin Williams leaves us wondering why he felt such deep despair. He had fame, talent, friends, a wife, and three wonderful children. Maybe the title to a Nat King Cole song, “Laughing On The Outside (Crying On The Inside)” gives us a picture of what life was like for Robin Williams.

Mr. Williams’ life reminds us that money, friends, and even a family do not necessarily erase the deep ache of loneliness. It was revealed today that Robin Williams may have just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but many handicapped people live happy and productive lives. I have no idea what was bothering Robin Williams the most, but despair usually springs from a feeling of isolation.

You would think that our modern world would have solved our loneliness problem. An Associated Press article dated August 6th, 2006 pointed out that “The nation has never been more populous, soon to reach the 300 million mark. And it has never been more connected – by phone, e-mail, instant message, text message, and on and on. Yet so many are alone in the crowd.” The same article quoted a study that revealed that in 1985 10% of Americans said they had no close friends, but today the number of Americans who say that they have no intimate friends has grown to 25%. How tragic!

The problem of loneliness has not gone unnoticed by the One who created us. Did you know that God Himself understands our need for human companionship? In fact, the only negative thing that God said about His creation was, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). It was loneliness that prompted God to look at His creation and provide a companion for Adam.

Even today, the Lord continues to show that He cares about our need for close relationships. We know that’s true because God told local groups of believers to gather together and to, “… put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity” (Colossians 3:12–14).

The kind of relationships that God desires for us do not happen automatically, of course, because they must begin with an intimate connection to the one who made all of us. No matter how far from God you feel right now, know that when you begin a relationship with Him, you will never be alone again – never again!

Remember: loneliness can’t exist in the unwavering presence of God’s intimate love for us. The same God who created the world said, “For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken” (Isaiah 54:10).

God will become your best friend when you surrender your life to Him and accept His offer of forgiveness. That happens when “you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,

[then] you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Romans 10:9–10).

Once you become a follower of Christ then you can know that, “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Jesus put it this way, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

If you want to be sure that you have a genuine relationship with your God, then turn to the Bible. I would be glad to assist you in that search in any way that I can. Don’t despair! Loneliness can be overcome in Christ.