“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”                                                                                                                                                    Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

I was sitting right next to my husband in the car staring out the window. I felt so disconnected and distant. My mind was a million miles away. For the last few days it was like we were speaking different languages. We just weren’t on the same page in thoughts or actions at all. This left me feeling alone – the inches that separated us were more like miles. 

Similarly, I have been in a crowded room and felt as if I was (or wanted to be) stranded on an island. People around me were speaking but no one was really saying anything. People would ask me a question or try to make conversation and I only responded with empty answers. Because of a recent experience where I felt disappointed or defeated by others, I wouldn’t allow myself to get emotionally drawn in and I wouldn’t allow others to get too close. 

Sometimes the distance between us and others cannot be measured in inches, feet, or miles. The distance we feel is a gap in communication – an invisible, immeasurable canyon keeping us from connecting with those around us. 

In my life, those lonely, isolated emotions are usually self-induced. Left unattended, these feelings can cause a permanent separation or chasm between us and those we love. Depression can grow in the space void of positive relationships and cause one to slip farther and farther away. No matter the cause or length of the separation, it is always work to close the gap, to get back to normal, and to rebuild those bridges. 

Have you ever experienced feelings of being alone in a crowded room, like a distant observer, cut off from caring? The key is to never lose hope – to know we are never truly alone. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.  God can close those emotional gaps for us. He will minimize the distance and bring us back home. 

Even when you are the one pushing people away or hiding behind a mask to disguise your pain, God does not leave your side. You can run away, deny, and refuse His love but it is always there. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

The next time you feel abandoned, left out, or distant, reach out to God. He understands and He cares. He will walk with you through the shadows and back into the light of life. Through His unfailing love you can reconnect with others and fill the gap.