Don’t Retreat: You Were Created for Relationship

I used to write all the time. Words were how I processed the chaos, how I prayed, how I made sense of what felt senseless. But lately, even that has felt hard. The world feels loud, heavy, and at times—unbearably dark.

Maybe you’ve felt it too.

Corruption. Hate. Terrorist attacks. War.
Another headline that makes your stomach drop.
Another story that leaves you wondering: Is there any good left? Is it even safe to hope anymore?

When everything feels unstable, it’s tempting to shut down. To disconnect. To retreat. Not just from people, but from God—and even from yourself. And if that’s where you’ve found yourself lately, I get it. I really do.

But I want to say this gently: Don’t give in to isolation. You were created for relationship—for connection, for community, for communion with a God who still sees you and calls you by name.

From the very beginning of creation, God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18) We weren’t created to live in fear. We weren’t designed to do life alone. We were made for relationship—first with God, and then with each other.

And yet… when life gets hard, isolation often becomes our default. We stop texting back. We stop opening up. We stop praying because we’re not sure God is listening anymore. But the problem with isolation is that while it may feel safe for a while, it always comes with a cost. We lose our sense of belonging. We forget what truth sounds like. We stop showing up as ourselves. And slowly, hopelessness begins to take root.

The World Is Scary—But God Is Still Good

There’s no denying it: the world is scary right now. There’s so much uncertainty. So much brokenness. So many reasons to be afraid. But here’s what I’ve learned through my own seasons of anxiety, trauma, and loss:

Fear lies. God does not.

His Word says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Jesus never promised a life without hardship. But He did promise peace. Not the kind that depends on circumstances—but the kind that transcends them: A peace that guards your heart and mind when everything else is falling apart (Philippians 4:7).

So what do we do when the world feels too dark? When we want to give up on people, or church, or God, or ourselves?

We start small. We start honest. We start again. Over and over again if we have to.

• Talk to God—even if all you can say is, “I don’t know what to say.”

• Text someone who lifts your eyes toward hope, not fear.

• Take the risk of being vulnerable again, even if you’ve been burned before.

• Go outside and notice the evidence that life is still unfolding.

Yes, the world is fractured—but you don’t have to be. You can still live fully. Love deeply. Believe fiercely. Not because things are perfect, but because there is still purpose in your breath and beauty in the ashes.

I know you’re tired. I know it would be easier to shut it all down—to self-protect, to stay numb. But living is still worth it. You are still worth it.

We were not created to give up when things get hard. We were created to stand together, to hold onto each other, to push back the darkness with light. So today, I want to urge you: Don’t keep retreating. Don’t keep isolating. Don’t keep withdrawing from God, people, or yourself.

Find those who remind you that there is still hope. Let God meet you in the middle of your mess. Restore relationships where you can. Rebuild trust slowly. Because the world doesn’t need more people numbing out. It needs more people waking up—to truth, to beauty, to each other.

And friend, it needs you.