I do not have anyone (1)

"I have no one who feels the same way with me to be sincerely concerned about what concerns you." Philippians 2. 20

The essence of suffering, whether physical or moral, is to be very personal. However, we often have children, friends, loving brothers and sisters who sympathize with us ; they pray for us and they try to encourage us. In other trials, especially in relation, we are much more alone : ​​people withdraw to avoid taking sides ; or we are afraid of blaming others and we are silent. The result is a feeling of great loneliness.

The Apostle Paul had felt it. This expression : "I have no one" is heavy with suffering. Already imprisonment isolated him painfully ; but moreover the jealousy of some (Phil.1.17) or the selfishness of others (Phil.2.21) prevented them from being in communion with Paul about the Philippians : he was alone, without anyone except Timothy he sends them.

During his second imprisonment, Paul's loneliness is even greater : "in my first defense, no one was with me, but all of them abandoned me". It was probably very difficult to take sides with him who was about to die a martyr. It is in this painful feeling of loneliness that Paul adds : "The Lord stood by me and strengthened me" (2 Tim 4:17). Many men of God have felt the bite of this suffering : loneliness.

It must have been great for Joseph, taken as a slave to Egypt and even greater when he was imprisoned in the tower unjustly... But "God was with him" (Gen. 39. 23, Act 7. 10). Which company ! Is not God also on our side in our painful solitudes ? And for Moses rejected by his people in his mission, forced to flee in the desert of Midian, what solitude ! She was no less great for David, chased by Saul for nearly twenty years. He described this particular suffering in the Psalms (Ps 69, 20, 142. 4, 102, 6, 7). The solitude of Jeremiah was deep and painful in the face of a rebellious people to God : "They heard me groan ; there is no one to console me" (Lam.1.21). But God, he is attentive to the prayer of the afflicted : "He will have regard to the prayer of the sorry and will not despise their prayer" (Ps 102. 17).

Source (Pleasing the Lord)