1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your daily prayer, 2 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: where we help you find the words you need to 3 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: connect to your Father in Heaven. No matter what's happening 4 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: in your life today, you can trust that God wants 5 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: to hear from you. Right after this short word from 6 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: our sponsors, we'll pray through today's prayer for those who 7 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: feel lonely at Christmas. A Prayer for those who Feel 8 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: Lonely at Christmas, written by Clarence Haines, read by Lea Gerard. 9 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those 10 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: who are crushed in spirit. So I'm thirty four eighteen. 11 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: The images we see of Christmas are typically of family 12 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: gatherings filled with smiles and laughter. That's one reason they 13 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: call it the most wonderful time of the year. If 14 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: we're going to be honest, we should also probably call 15 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: it the loneliest time of the year. Many people don't 16 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: like to expose their loneliness, so they hide it with 17 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: forced smiles that conceal how they genuinely feel underneath. After all, 18 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: this is a season of celebration, So why ruin everyone 19 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: else's holiday with your feelings of loneliness. I know this 20 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: feeling because I've experienced it myself. In twenty ten, my 21 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: spouse passed away after a long battle with cancer. A 22 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: few months later, our church had a Christmas gathering. I 23 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,919 Speaker 1: remember standing in the fellowship hall of our church, surrounded 24 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:10,959 Speaker 1: by kids running around, food, music, laughter, and everyone enjoying themselves. 25 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: Yet despite being surrounded by all these people, I felt alone. 26 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: If you looked at my outward appearance, I looked fine. However, 27 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: inwardly I was not experiencing the joy that the holidays 28 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 1: are supposed to bring. The holiday season can cause these 29 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: feelings to surface, especially for those who have lost loved 30 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: ones or have no immediate family nearby. This is also 31 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,360 Speaker 1: true for those who may be older, or confined to 32 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: their homes, or are unable to get out. These are 33 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: the ones we can't forget during this season. There's a 34 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: very high probability that someone you know may be experiencing 35 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: the holiday blues of loneliness. Here are some eye opening 36 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: numbers from a recent Value Penguin survey of Americans. Sixty 37 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 1: one percent of Americans will feel sad or lonely during 38 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 1: the holiday season. Sixty seven percent say it's partly due 39 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: to societal or cultural expectations. Forty nine percent say they 40 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: don't believe others acknowledge their feelings. Thirty seven percent say 41 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: they would skip the holidays altogether if they could. With 42 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:31,239 Speaker 1: numbers like these, where has all the holiday cheer gone? 43 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: Let's not assume that everyone is experiencing it, because clearly 44 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: they are not. There are many lonely people out there. 45 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: After God created Adam, the first thing he said in 46 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: Genesis two eighteen was that it was not good for 47 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 1: man to be alone, and that truth has not changed. 48 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: I want to encourage you to do something. Think about 49 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: your circle. This can include those in your church community 50 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: or your circle of friends. Is there anyone in these 51 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: groups who will spend Christmas alone? If so, don't let them. 52 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: If they can leave the house, then invite them over. 53 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: You probably have more than enough food that one more 54 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: mouth won't hurt at all. If they can't get out, 55 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: then spend time with them. Bring some food and share 56 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: a meal. In the same way Christ came to a 57 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: world that was lost and gave his life. Let's go 58 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: to those who are lonely and give them community. Let's pray, Lord, 59 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: I pray for those who may be lonely this holiday season. 60 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 1: Whether they grieve the loss of a loved one, they're 61 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: separated from family by distance, they're struggling with illness or age, 62 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 1: or simply feel unseen amidst the holiday bustle. I first 63 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 1: ask that they would experience the comfort of your presence. 64 00:04:57,360 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: After that, I pray you would place in the hearts 65 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: of your peace people to seek them out and not 66 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 1: forget them in this holiday season. Let us be the 67 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: hands in fee of Jesus by caring for those who 68 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: are alone in this season. I ask that you bring 69 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:15,040 Speaker 1: people to mind who may be lonely, so I can 70 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: invite them to join in the holidays. Help me find 71 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: them so they don't have to spend this holiday season 72 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: by themselves. And I can put these words of Jesus 73 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 1: found in Matthew twenty five thirty five through thirty six 74 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 1: into practice. For I was hungry and you gave me 75 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me 76 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited 77 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me. I 78 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 1: was sick and you looked after me. I was in 79 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: prison and you came to visit me. In Jesus' name, Amen, 80 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: your Daily Prayer is a production of Life Audio and 81 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you haven't already, be sure to follow 82 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: the show in your favorite podcast app so you never 83 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: miss an episode. For more faith filled, inspirational podcasts, visit 84 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: us at lifeaudio dot com.