I am reminded of Paul as he asked God to take away the thorn in his flesh. God told him, "my grace is sufficient for you. In your weakness I am made strong."
I have no clue why God has ordained your life as he has, Snerfle, but I do know that his grace is sufficient.
I received notification this morning that two beloved and saintly women in my life went home to be with God last night. It is bittersweet as I mourn their passing, yet rejoice they are with God.
Jesus tells us that he never leaves us nor forsakes us. He is with us now and forever more. Somehow, in our lonliness, we must trust God that his promises are true. God's grace is sufficient.
It wasnt about that ... The thorn in the flesh was a messenger (so I'm guessing, with a message, probably of false teaching and/or condemnation) sent to buffet/harrass Paul.
That much I get, I've had plenty, and I kind of expect it ... The world and the enemy hates the message of salvation by grace, and so the claws and fiery darts come out against it.
God told Paul His grace is sufficient, His strength is made (shown) perfect (perfected/completed) in our (apparent) weakness, i.e. , Paul would SEEM weak in that he prayed repeatedly for this 'thorn' to be removed, for Paul to be delivered from it or have victory (strength) in that sense, but God said No, you ALREADY HAVE victory (in Christ) My Grace is sufficient.
See then how Paul rather 'boasted' (proclaimed and rejoiced) in his own (apparent) weakness ... he'd bring nothing of his own works or righteousness or power to have victory, but he'd 'boast' in the Lord and HIS victory...HIS GRACE being sufficient...for salvation and growth and victory over false teaching and the enemies assaults.
But thats not what I was referring to that you commented on ... Re: loneliness and having ppl (christians) abandon, ignore, or even gossip/backstab each other, is what I was talking about not understanding at the time I posted that.
Not about having ppl die, ... that stinks but is unavoidable, but it's not done to hurt you or deliberately leave you lonely, right? (Which, btw, I'm sorry for the loss (even temporary) of your friends, but also rejoice WITH you that you and they had assurance of salvation, that's what Jesus came for, praise the Lord, God bless you!)
I wouldnt blame God or want to make a person feel bad with things like, "Oh well, God ordained his life to be that way, so...oh well, be warm and fed, His grace is sufficient".
(Maybe you weren't meaning it like that, but that's kinda how it sounded)
No, what I had posted about was cold-heartedness that manifests in cold shoulders, deliberately, by some professing christians .... It happens in alot of ways, sadly, but it seems really rampant on-line, (though that in itself may be an indication of some false teaching, so in that sense, grace is needed, as well ... grace is always needed) but that's a different context than that of Paul's thorn in the flesh.
P.S.*Sorry to be a bit off thread-topic, tho it loosely relates to the OP, in a general sense. Anyway, I just came across this reply and wanted to address it.* Thx...