At some point in his life, he has had to experience intense feelings of loneliness. He feels completely alone, isolated from all the loved ones that once surrounded him. Like falling into the emptiness of the soul and in such a deep silence, where only his soul and his spirit are his companion.

What to do in those intense moments of solitude? We try to find an answer that allows us to overcome this emptiness and turn it into a new opportunity for a better spiritual use. The apostle Paul endured only the prison, where he felt deeply isolated.
In the last months of his life, he gave us the wonderful secret of what we can do during those moments of intense loneliness.

First, he recognized the presence of God. He wrote that the Lord had been by his side (2 Tim. 4:17). Paul could not change his situation, but in that empty and wet cell, he remembered that God was with him.

Second, Paul dealt with loneliness, remembering how faithful God had been to strengthen him in the past (2 Tim. 4:17). The Lord supported Paul, infusing him with strength. The apostle knew that no one could take his life without God's permission. We often quote Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things in Christ that strengthen me."
It is significant that Paul was imprisoned when he wrote these words. Although he faced discouraging circumstances, he carried within himself an imperurable hope, because he understood the truth that his life was totally under the omnipotent and vigilant care of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Third, Paul fought his feelings of loneliness by remembering that he had the unparalleled privilege of fulfilling God's purpose for his life. What a great encouragement to know that we are part of God's providential plan! David also found encouragement in the presence of the Lord. Many of the psalms he composed were written as a result of going through the most devastating and extreme situations of his life. Right in the middle of one of them, he wrote these words: "This poor man shouted, and the Lord heard him and delivered him from all his troubles" (Psalm 34: 6).

In his solitude, Paul also treasured the company of his friends. He wrote that Luke had stayed with him and urged Timothy and Mark to accompany him. He mentioned four people who comforted him with his own name: Eubulo, Pudente, Lino and Claudia (2 Tim. 4:21). We don't know anything about these four people, except that they accompanied the apostle Paul. It had to be one of the best compliments they could have received.

Finally, Paul asked Timothy to bring some books with him, "mainly the scrolls" (2 Tim. 4:13). These documents of immense value were undoubtedly the Holy Scriptures.
Knowing the apostle Paul, we can assume that he felt a literal hunger for the Word of God. In the hours of immense solitude, the Bible can give us deep comfort.

The Lord Jesus Christ felt totally alone in facing his own death. The Bible says that "all the disciples, leaving him, fled" (Mt 26:56). As if that were not enough, being on the cross exclaimed: "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" (Mt 27:46). Jesus knows everything about loneliness. However, he also knows the joy of being traced on the wings of faith in the most desolate times, trusting that the Father will never abandon us. Our Lord is the best example of how we can face the dangers of loneliness without being discouraged.