“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” — Deuteronomy 31:8

There is a difference between being alone and feeling alone.
I’m learning that in this season.

Lately, that distinction feels sharper. Life has shifted in ways I didn’t plan for, and the absence of my sister has made independence unavoidable. The quiet is louder. The responsibility feels heavier. And the question that keeps surfacing isn’t just How do I do this? but who is really here with me now?

Kanye West’s “Real Friends” has been sitting with me this season, not as background music, but as a confession. The song captures something deeply human—the ache of realizing that not everyone who walks beside you is truly with you. That sometimes the people you expect to show up don’t. And that loneliness can exist even when your phone isn’t empty.

That realization stings. But it also clarifies.

Scripture doesn’t deny that human relationships can disappoint. What it offers instead is assurance of a presence that does not waver. Deuteronomy 31:8 doesn’t say life will feel supported. It says God will not leave. That promise matters more when support systems thin out.

I am learning that standing alone exposes truth:

• About who I am without constant affirmation
• About which relationships were rooted in convenience versus care
• About how often I leaned on people instead of God

There’s a line in Real Friends that wrestles with trust—wondering who is genuine and who is simply nearby. I feel that tension deeply right now. But faith reframes the question. Instead of asking, Who can I count on? I’m learning to ask, Where is God already present?

And the answer keeps coming back quietly but consistently: here.

In the mornings, when I make decisions alone.
In the evenings, when doubt creeps in.
In the moments when I wish someone else could carry the weight for me.

Jesus Himself knew what it meant to be surrounded yet solitary. He was misunderstood, abandoned, and betrayed, yet never separated from the Father. That truth steadies me. Standing alone can still be sacred when God is near.

This season is teaching me discernment, not bitterness. I’m learning to appreciate real friends without idolizing them, and to release expectations without closing my heart. Human connection matters, but it was never meant to replace divine presence.

Independence doesn’t mean isolation.
Solitude doesn’t mean abandonment.
And standing alone doesn’t mean standing unsupported.

I am learning to let God be the constant when everything else feels variable. To trust His companionship when human closeness feels complicated. To believe that even in the quiet, I am seen.

I may be standing on my own feet now, but I am not standing by myself.

And for today, that truth is enough.

Watch Real Friends by Kanye West

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