She remembered the day her dad left. Though only a child, she lay in bed and listened to her mother crying herself to sleep in the other room. At 5 years of age, she determined she would never be the cause of her mom’s tears. Now 14, she shared how she had determined to be happy and carefree in front of everyone, regardless of whatever pain she felt inside. Still more girl than woman, she had only begun to grieve the lost relationship with her dad.

Romans 8:38-39 tells us that nothing can keep us from God’s love. In the “rubber meets the road” of real life, however, we struggle to see God’s love for us when someone we love walks away. We may know in our heads that God loves us, but we don’t know how to live it out, especially when a close relationship is severed. In their palpable absence, our heart asks: What about me made them leave? Our unanswered questions and swirling thoughts threaten to overwhelm us.

The apostle Paul knew what it was like to be forsaken by those close to his heart—people in whom he had invested much (2 Timothy 1:15). He felt the loss, and his calling didn’t shield him from loneliness (2 Timothy 1:12). Through it all, he remained focused on his true purpose for living and refused to be waylaid by what others said or did (2 Timothy 1:17-18).

We can’t live in fear of losing people, and we can’t live thinking that our world will fall apart if we’re alone. Loneliness is real, and grieving doesn’t mean we’ve lost faith (John 11:35). No matter what we go through, however, we must not lose sight of who loves us most—the One who promised to be there always (Hebrews 13:5).