
Webster defines Autophobia as “the morbid fear of solitude.” I thought, is there really a fool who is afeared of automobiles?
Jean-Paul Sarte wrote, “If you are lonely when you’re alone, you are in bad company.”
Being alone has many connotations. When God made Eve to cure Adam’s fear of solitude, He, as always, did a wonderful thing. True, there are times when we think incorrectly, that we are alone and thus we seek someone to be around. Animals do the same. My office is in the corner of our living room and over the years I have noted that our resident canines find comfort in just being in the room with me. Or so I think. The resident Great Blonde says, “They just want be near enough to see what foolish thing you’ll write next.” Could be.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” This includes company and solitude in balance.
Truth be known we need a balance of deep “being with” and solitude. Jesus demonstrates solitude and being with. There are several levels of each, the highest level of “being with,” being with our God given spouse and the highest of solitude, being aware of being alone with Christ.
Jonah was alone when he prayed from the whale’s belly, “When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.” Jonah 2:7.
Copyright © 2013 Larry Lilly