Alone in a Crowd
“Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.” (John 16:32 NKJV)
“Are you lonesome tonight?”*
You’ve probably heard the lyrics of this 1926 song, recorded many times over the past century by popular musicians, including Elvis Presley.
It could be the theme song for the current young generation, too.
I thought of that familiar refrain when my husband and I attended a fundraiser this week for a Christian college ministry, where “Gen Z” was described as “the loneliest generation.”
These isolated young people of our American society—and in other nations abroad—are struggling with anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide. They are the most technologically advanced group ever to inhabit our planet, connected across internet satellites to millions of other people.
Yet they’re still alone in a crowd of social media, followers, and other measurement groups. They are biblically illiterate, and few have interest in going to church. Instead, these youngsters seek online “success” in their comparison of themselves with others.
But it’s only an illusion of success. This generation is desperately thirsty for fellowship with God and others. They need Jesus, with the hope and joy He offers. We who believe in Him need to tell them about Him.
Christianity involves a paradoxical relationship with God, one that calls each of us to come to Him as individuals and also to worship Him collectively.
Jesus met people in one-on-one conversations—the woman at the well, Nicodemus at night, parents of demon-possessed children, His good friend Martha, the centurion with the ill servant, the woman caught in adultery. From their encounters with Jesus, each of them learned truth, gained peace, received answers for help, found faith, were healed, and rejoiced in hope.
Ultimately, each of us will go forth from this world into eternal fellowship with the church triumphant, connected forever with others who love Him as well. Still, God never intended for us to be alone while on this earth. We were made by Him to be in kinship with each other, as Christians serving and worshipping Him together in a body of believers.
If you’re missing out on godly fellowship, persevere—keep seeking a group where you can join in worship. Pray for a church where God’s word is preached as truth. If you’re already part of a Christian group, be the one who welcomes the strangers. Don’t let anyone walk away without finding Jesus in your midst.
Why is this so important for Gen Z young people and others like them? Because they will find in Christ more than they realize…Jesus knew what it felt like to be completely alone.
Jesus knew true solitude, including abandonment by his closest friends at the lowest point in His life, at His death. He knew what it was like to be pressed by crowds of suffering people who were interested only in their own needs for healing, food, and freedom. Jesus gave sacrificial, astonishing compassion to them as a solitary figure. He was alone in these throngs…despite the reality that He also knew the glory of true fellowship as one-third of the perfectly triune Godhead.
Friend, if you are in the midst of a lonely season, come to the One who will never abandon you. With Christ, you are never ignored or passed over. You are never insufficient. You are never rejected. Jesus is your singular Friend, and He will care for you.
May the King of kings speak His love over you this week ahead as we remember His last meal with His friends, His horrific death on the cross, His solitude in the tomb—and His glorious resurrection from the tomb. May this be a time when we worship Him as individuals and in the company of others who rejoice with us.
Hallelujah! We are never alone, because He is risen!
Jesus Christ, I pray You will always be with me, especially now as I remember all You have done for me, to give me abundant life in You. Thank You for saving me! Forgive me when I forget Your sacrifice on the cross and Your gift of eternal life, when I collapse into sin and need Your mercy. Help me, O Jesus, to always reach for Your hand of lovingkindness. Help me to worship You in spirit, truth, and beauty this Easter season. In Your risen name, Amen.
Nancy C. Williams is a Christian wife/mom with a writing career spanning more than 40 years in business and journalism. Williams is the author of the novel To Love a Falcon and the devotional book A Crocus in the Desert: Devotions, Stories, and Prayers for Women Experiencing Infertility. Her blogs are featured on Crossmap.com and AriseDaily. To follow Nancy’s posts and news, go to her home page at NancyCWilliams.com and subscribe at the bottom.
© Copyright 2025 Nancy C. Williams (text and photography). Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. #Easter #Lent #resurrection #genz #alone #loneliness
*Public domain, words and lyrics, by Roy Turk and Lou Handman, 1926
