Gasping4Air - The Venting Series:: Blog 2 - ''You Are Not Alone''

“I’m alone with my thoughts, I'm in the dark like throw me a torch" - Nick Brewer

A line from one of the rated emcees around at the moment and with good reason too. After listening to his mix-tape ‘’Alone with my thoughts’’ (available for download here; www.sendspace.com/file/5fk3z4), it really got me thinking. What does it really mean to be alone?

Have you ever felt like you're in the midst of people, in amongst "friends", in the presence of others or in the company of loved ones - but still felt very alone? Maybe you (like me) have well over 200 contacts on your Blackberry Messenger list, but you might as well have only 10.

They say that no man is an island. If this is so, why are there days where we feel "Lost"?

If you follow me on Twitter - or are friends with me on Facebook - you may notice that I make no secret of my past struggles with depression, which has tendencies to creep in now and again. I’m not looking to gain sympathy, but simply want to encourage that one person who may be in the same place, dealing with this same pain.

It’s a shame that these days in the Christian arena, believers are forced to put on a facade of everything being okay 100% of the time - when deep down they know this isn't really the case.

Honestly speaking, I believe that there is nothing wrong with saying "I'm not in the best of moods right now" or "things could be better". The counter argument many Christians may give would link to what they call "negative confession" - but I'd rather attribute it to making an observation and stating the obvious.

My encouragement to anybody in this position or feeling this way is simple. You need to understand that you are not alone. 1Cor 10:13 says;

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

There is NOTHING (and I say nothing with all confidence and boldness) that you are going through that someone somewhere at sometime has gone through/ struggled with AND not come out of. Therefore in saying this, the first step is to honestly trust God for that "way of escape".

Secondly, if you keep yourself isolated you will feel alone. The issue I had was that a lot of the time I wanted to be left alone, and I got exactly what I wanted: I was being left alone. I would then turn around and complain that no-one cared. My advice for those of you in a similar place is to find those you love, and keep them around you - if you keep yourself to yourself, you will fall into the place where you feel friendless and forsaken. Do not get me wrong, there is nothing bad in wanting to be alone – perhaps in those times of solitude one simply wants to gather their thoughts, plan for the future or just breathe. My friend, go ahead. The point of this blog is not to become too over-dependent on people, but instead understanding ones identity in Christ.

Finally I will say this; there will be this void in your heart which you feel may never be filled. So you try everything and its dog to try and fill it; Food, sex, money, relationships, friends, power, respect, an influential job etc. Again the issue is that this void can only be filled with the Joy of Christ, the knowledge of his work for us and the grace and peace which comes from salvation.

A lot of the times we don't see this as sufficient, so we add all those other things to try and compliment Christ in filling that void. Fortunately for us, that won't work!

So in closing I will say this; as an artist that goes around encouraging and ministering unto others I must first, like David (1sam 30:6), learn how to encourage myself. I say this to encourage you. Do not fall into the trap of depending on other people for reassurance or continual affirmation.

We need to comprehend that people are fickle and can say one thing one day and another thing another day. Take courage from the Lord, surround yourself with those you trust and continue doing you in Him. It’s not easy as you will have those low days, but think of it like this;

Anytime a visitor (friend, relative, associate) comes to your house, no matter how long they stay for, they WILL leave. It maybe 9 minutes, 13 weeks or even up to a year - but remember they are only visitors; your place is not their residence.

So see depression and loneliness as an unwanted visitor which at some point will have to leave.

So here you go, here's your torch. I guess now it’s in your hands.

It’s up to you to decide to flick the switch.

Keep Breathing!