When reflecting on how to prepare for lonely days—whether it’s a long weekend, a holiday, or an afternoon after church—my mind races in a thousand directions, considering all the reasons why loneliness is such a challenging emotion. Wisdom (and practical advice) offers many ideas and resources on how to occupy our minds, time, and energy. It would be wise to compile a list of solutions in advance—before sadness deepens into self-pity or depression. As a 55-year-old single man whose parents have recently passed and whose closest connections are now married and starting families, I find that my resourcefulness must be more targeted than ever. This stands in contrast to my teenage years through my late thirties, when I had a wealth of single friends readily available for hangouts, camping trips, and other activities. How we envision and experience Jesus can have either a net-negative or net-positive effect on our relational stability as we mature. For instance, if I don’t challenge my bel...