The Loneliness of Doing The Right Thing

Being principled in an unprincipled time requires a steady dose of strength and being ok with being alone

Doing the right thing is often a lonely quality. It can be challenging to make the right choices, especially when they go against the norm. It's even harder when you stand alone, without anyone to support you.

In today's society, doing the right thing is often equated with being unpopular or not fitting in. People are quick to judge, ridicule, or criticize those who make choices that don't align with the norm. It takes courage to go against the crowd, and it can be a lonely journey when no one else seems to understand or support your decisions.

When you make the right choices, you will find that your self-esteem and confidence will increase, and you will feel good about yourself. However, it is essential to remember that doing the right thing is about something other than seeking approval from others. It is about staying true to your values and principles, even when difficult.

Recently, several colleagues and I were offered to lead an important project. It was more work and would go beyond what we had signed up for. When asked to volunteer, no one would do it. No one would take up the mantle and lead. That left it to me to fill the gap and “do the right thing,” even though several friends had more time and ability to do the task than I did. I read the room and could tell no one was going to step up, so, against my interests, I agreed to take on the project.

I felt I was doing the right thing, even if it was wrong for my situation.

It's important to acknowledge that being a solitary figure can be a lonely experience and a powerful one. It takes a lot of strength to stand up for what you believe in, and it can lead to personal growth and a sense of purpose.

Doing the right thing can be a lonely quality, but it also brings a sense of pride and satisfaction. It takes courage to stand up for your beliefs, but it is rewarding. So, feel free to take the road less traveled, and always remember to do what's right, even if you have to do it alone.

Scott Gulbransen

2 Timothy 4:16-17: "At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it". This passage illustrates the feeling of being abandoned while God provides strength to continue the mission.

In Psalm 25:16-18, King David expressed feelings of loneliness when he prayed, "Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.  Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.  Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins."  This passage is a series of pleas for God’s help because David felt oppressed, depressed, troubled, unseen and deserted by God and others.

But instead of David staying upset with God, his prayer took a twist: Psalm 25:20-21 "Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.  May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you."  Despite everything, King David leaned into the Lord’s presence for comfort. And we can do the same.
Solitude can be a catalyst to grow our relationship with God rather than stifle it. We were made for a personal relationship with Him, and He placed a deep longing in our hearts that only He can satisfy.

If you feel lonely today, trust that God is right by your side. Because of His presence, you never have to feel truly alone again.

Tracie Miles

My favorite Brother Steve saying:  You never go wrong doing the right thing.

Many, many times this saying has guided a choice or a decision I had to make.

Psalm 27:10  "For though my father and my mother forsake me, the LORD will take me in".

This verse speaks to a deep sense of personal abandonment but finds its ultimate hope and comfort in the enduring love of God.

John 15: 18-20 "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you". This shows that suffering and hatred are to be expected when one follows God, as Jesus Himself experienced.