solitary. The word solitary connotes existing alone, secluded or isolated; single. Solitariness is not equivalent to loneliness. You can be alone but not lonely. However over many decades of ministry in various settings both large and small, I have been astounded by the number of Christians who express that they are lonely. Despite being around large numbers of people in church services, outreaches, small groups, clubs and activities; so many are not just solitary. They are lonely, experiencing sadness:
feelings of sorrow, unhappiness, regret and heaviness at being alone.
This phenomenon is something many pastors, ministry leaders and
congregants are over-looking. Noticing is a big part of a Christ-like character that displays empathy. Did you know that 51% of US citizens are single by virtue of never being married, divorce, separation, or widowhood? Over half of the American population is navigating life in a solitary state. 
Jesus noticed a solitary woman at a well in John 4. He went beyond just noticing her solitary state, or seeing that he had a use for her (to draw Him some water), to peer into the quality or lack thereof in her relationships.
Sometimes leaders who are married with families approach ministry
solely from that perspective, and just see their single cohorts as free
and able to serve without distraction, as Paul described in 1 Cor 7. 8.
So we fill their calendars with duties grateful that we have single
folks to take care of things! Jesus went deeper into the life of the
woman at the well by noticing that she had been attempting to satiate her loneliness and love hunger through male relationships with 5 husbands and one who was not her husband (this goes on all around us). He revealed to her that she had been attempting to satisfy the hole in her soul by drinking from wells that would only run dry and offered her the Living Water of His Spirit that would once and for all fill her to overflowing. When's the last time you've done that for a single lamenting over the fact that they've not yet found that 'special one?' They already have - His name is Jesus!! There is something else we can do to curb the issue of
loneliness in those around us. Psalm 68:6 says that God "sets the lonely in families" or He "settles the solitary in a home." This is not just true for the fatherless, orphans and widows. It is true for any person who is a part of the family of God who finds themselves needing strong connection. Yes, Jesus is present and He is more than enough, but WE are His hands, His feet, His arms.
We are His Body and we give the hugs, the warm embraces, the
opportunities for fellowship, the words of encouragement, the times of
celebration, etc. The One who has made us 'accepted in the beloved,' (Eph. 1:6) wants to ensure that none of His children are lonely. So offer invitations to events. Open your doors and your hearts to the solitary. Become friends who are like family. Will you take time to notice and know those who are lonely and show them God's love?
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