John 16:32
I am not alone, because my Father is with Me.
Aurelius Ambrosius (St. Ambrose)
I am never less alone, than when I am alone; for then I can enjoy the presence of my God most freely, fully, and sweetly, without interruption.
Joseph Alleine The Precious Promises of the Gospel
My omnipresence shall be company for you (1 Chronicles 22:18; Joshua 1:5, 9). Surely I will be with you to bless you. No bolts, no bars, no bonds, nor banishment shall remove you from Me, nor keep My presence and the influences of heaven from you (Genesis 39:21, 23). I am always with you (Matthew 28:20); in your darkest nights, in your deepest dangers, I am close at hand, a very present help in the time of trouble (Psalm 46:1; 34:18). I am not a God who is afar off or asleep or on a journey when you need My counsel, My ear, or My aid. I am always nigh unto those who fear Me.
Hugh Martin “Joyous Spirituality of Christian Pilgrimage”
Hebrews 11:13 ‘I am a stranger and a pilgrim in the earth’
As the Word of God dwells in us more richly; as we increase in the study and knowledge of the believing heart, and increase in sympathy with it, in its joys and sorrows, its responsibilities and privileges, its burdens and reliefs, its blessings and hopes; as these are opened up to us in the Scriptures, we will feel more and more alienated from a sinful and unsatisfying, and really very shallow world, and more and more satisfied with our position as ‘strangers on the earth’.
The more you are alienated in spirit from a passing, shallow, heartless, ungodly world, the more will you feel constrained to apply in livelier faith and prayer to your heavenly Father for friendship and fellowship with him. The more, also, will you love the worship, the house, the cause and kingdom of Christ upon the earth; and the more liberally, joyfully, and prayerfully will you give for the support and propagation of his gospel.
William Gurnall The Christian in Complete Armour
The reason why there are so few Christians indeed; so many that run and so few obtain; so many go into the field against Satan, and so few come out conquerors; because all have a desire to be happy, but few have courage and resolution to grapple with the difficulties that meet them in the way to their happiness.
Richard Sibbes "The Matchless Love and Inbeing"
God allows his dearest children to be forsaken by those close to them. In this we are conformed to Christ Jesus, who was left alone by his beloved disciples.
How shall we persevere in our course?
1. Hold out a strong resolution against opposition, since scandals and difficulties will come.
2. Labour to know the truth, and practice what you know.
3. Get the love of God in your heart and focus on your encouragements.
4. Strive for self-denial. A true Christian has a single eye. You cannot have God and your lusts together.
5. Grow deeper in humility. A man is humble when he accounts sin his greatest evil and grace his chiefest good.
C.H. Spurgeon
https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/eternal-faithfulness-unaffected-by-human-unbelief/
The grandest majority in the world is a minority of one when that man is on God's side.
On Psalm 88:18 “...the darkness is my closest friend.”
Lonely sorrow falls to the lot of not a few; let them not repine, but enter herein into close communion with that dearest lover and friend who is never far from his tried ones.
“Morning and Evening”, December 28th
The Christian will be sure to make enemies. It will be one of his objects to make none; but if to do the right, and to believe the true, should cause him to lose every earthly friend, he will count it but a small loss, since his great Friend in heaven will be yet more friendly, and reveal himself to him more graciously than ever.
A.B. Simpson
The Lord is still using the things that are despised. The very names of Nazarene and Christian were once epithets of contempt. No man can have God's highest thought and be popular with his immediate generation. The most abused men are often the most used.
There are far greater calamities than to be unpopular and misunderstood. There are far worse things than to be found in the minority. Many of God's greatest blessings are lying behind the devil's scarecrows of prejudice and misrepresentation. The Holy Spirit is not ashamed to use unpopular people. And if He uses them, what need they care for men?
Oh, let us but have God's recognition and man's notice will count for little, and God will give us all we need of human help and praise. Let us only seek God's will, His glory, His approval. Let us go for Him on the hardest errands and do for Him the most menial tasks. It will be honor enough that He sends us and uses us.
The man of God must walk alone with God. He must be content in the realization that God knows all things. it is such a relief to the natural man within us to fall back upon human countenances and human thoughts and sympathy that we often deceive ourselves and think it "brotherly love", when, in fact, we are just resting in the earthly sympathy of some fellow worm!
A.W. Tozer The Root of The Righteous
Bear your cross, follow your Lord and pay no heed to the passing religious vogue. The masses are always wrong. In every generation the number of the righteous is small. Be sure you are among them.
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you...
Richard Sibbes The Soul’s Conflict With Itself
He wants no company that hath Christ for his companion.