50 – The Danger of Isolation

Have you ever felt alone? Have you been lonely? Do you ever struggle with the sense that there’s no one around that you can go to when you need prayer or just a pal to listen? If so, you’re not the only one! You’re “not alone.” In fact, in the last 10 years or so, studies have shown that our sense of aloneness and loneliness has grown more profound than ever before. So why should we care? Because one of the enemy’s most powerful tools to use against believers, especially those of us who are writers, is isolation.

 

What are the dangers of isolation?

Studies done in the last 5 years show that isolation isn’t just unhealthy, it’s deadly.

* Elderly people who don’t have enough social interaction or a strong social connection are twice as likely to die prematurely

* Social isolation is deadlier for people than obesity

* When one is socially isolated, the increased mortality rate is equivalent to that of smoking

* Social media is false interaction. Recent surveys have shown the more time a person spends on social media, the less happy that person tends to be. True social interaction must be done face-to-face.

When you’re isolated the enemy has you one-on-one.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 tells us “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

 

When you’re isolated:

* It’s harder to see truth, easier to be swayed, You don’t have an objective viewpoint to help you see better

* You don’t have anyone in the fight with you

* You have no one to give you ideas, help/instruction, or support/encouragement

* You have no one to challenge your ideas

* You don’t grow as a result of mixing with people who see things differently (even other religions, etc.)

* You can become exclusive in your thinking, believing you’re the only one with the right answer

* You’re more prone to arrogance – not being teachable, as writers this is problematic

* You may become unwilling to reach out to writers who are “the competition” when in reality you can help each other

 

Isolation can cause you to form a habit of self-reliance and selfishness, which leads to not depending on God either.

But we were created for community. We’re the BODY of Christ.

 

Is there anything good about being isolated?

Intentional healthy isolation—let’s call that solitude—can be helpful for…

* Unplugging for spiritual refreshment, connection to God, prayer, listening, reflecting

* Focusing on individual skill building or emotional growth

* Reading and reflecting on what you’ve read

* Turtle Time: Recharging if you’re an introvert

 

How can we know if we’ve isolated or if we’re seeking solitude?

Consider this distinction between the two from Psychology Today:

“Loneliness is marked by a sense of isolation. Solitude, on the other hand, is a state of being alone without being lonely and can lead to self-awareness”

Psychology Today goes on to say, “Solitude is a positive and constructive state of engagement with oneself. Solitude is desirable, a state of being alone where you provide yourself wonderful and sufficient company. It’s a time for reflection,