Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. Again, I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (ESV)
Loneliness is common in our world today. Whether it comes from a divorce, a broken relationship, travel for our job, or something else. Loneliness can leave us feeling as if life is empty and futile. With the author of Ecclesiastes, we might find ourselves wondering about our purpose. Even the so-called “good things in life”— wealth, power, pleasure— have only a limited ability to satisfy us. He asks hard questions about life; and, he gives us some of the most impactful answers.
Today’s reading is one of those places where we can see a practical step in our effort to have a new beginning. Loneliness is one of those feelings that are difficult to change. Remember this was never God’s design. In the beginning, God saw that Adam needed companionship, so God created Eve, a “helper suitable for him” (cf. Genesis 2:18). In the beginning, our relationships with each other and with God were good and fully satisfying. Sin, however, introduced envy and competition into human relationships. We now see it played out between husbands and wives, family members, coworkers, neighbors, and people from all places and backgrounds. They find themselves at odds. Human cooperation and friendship require new risks that were not present in the original creation. Sin leads us away from the voice of God.
But no new relationships with others can be as dependable as the faithfulness of God. God knows our loneliness. And despite our unfaithfulness to him, God promises his people protection, help, and security from the destruction of sin. Determine to place yourself in the presence of God and find the answer to loneliness.