There are times when doing the right thing actually makes us feel alone. When many people choose to remain silent, we speak out. When most people are content with the status quo, we feel restless. When the truth is no longer popular, standing by it can cost us acceptance. At a certain point, loyalty requires not only courage, but also a willingness to endure solitude.

Jeremiah experienced this. He lived amongst a people who did not want to hear the message he brought. The official voices from the palace and the Temple offered a sense of security: Jerusalem would stand firm because God was present amongst His people. However, Jeremiah brought a different message. He proclaimed that destruction would come because of injustice, arrogance and disloyalty to God. Because of this, he became a voice that disrupted the comfort of his time.

Ironically, Jeremiah’s loneliness did not stem solely from people. He also wrestled with God. “Why does my suffering never end?” he lamented. Even God felt like a “deceitful stream”, water that could not be relied upon. Yet previously he had said, “When Your words were found, I delighted in them. Your word was my delight, and the joy of my heart.” Even a prophet can love the word of the Lord whilst at the same time feeling weary, wounded, and questioning his calling.

The constant rejection eventually wore down Jeremiah’s resilience. Faith did not make him immune to hurt. Therefore, the anguish Jeremiah experienced was not a sign that he had failed in his faith. That anguish arose precisely because his heart was still sensitive to what was amiss. However, God did not merely comfort Jeremiah. He called him to return: “If you are willing to return, I will restore you.” Even a messenger of the Word must remain willing to listen to the Word addressed to him.

Dear Friends of the Bible, there may be times when faithfulness makes us feel anxious and lonely. Do not be quick to quell that unease. It may well be that the Lord is keeping our conscience alight. Bring that unease to Him, for faithfulness does not eliminate weariness and questions. Continue to walk with the Lord, even when the path we tread feels lonely.