Gospel Healing for the Lonely
Why We’re Feeling Lonely (and what we can do about it), Shelby Abbot. Epsom: The Good Book Company, 2026. Softcover, 143 pages.
While people appear to be increasingly well-connected technologically, so many are still suffering from loneliness. Though it should not be so in the communion of saints, it often is there too. Loneliness is a real problem and it has real consequences. Shelby Abbot writes that “the Surgeon General of the United States sees loneliness as a public health concern, equating its mortality impact to smoking 15 cigarettes a day” (p.17).
This book is addressed to Christian young people (20-somethings), but it could benefit anyone dealing with loneliness. The author takes a biblical, gospel-centered approach to sorting through it, thinking about it properly, and addressing it soundly. As a campus minister, he speaks from years of experience in hearing lonely young people struggle.
Why We’re Feeling Lonely covers four areas connected to the loneliness epidemic: screen time (digital identities), relationship (porn and casual sex), community (polarization and anger), emotion (depression and anxiety). With each part, he has one chapter identifying the issues and then a chapter showing how the gospel brings authentic healing. In case you were wondering, in the chapter on depression and anxiety, he does not rule out seeing a doctor for depression or persistent, dark anxiety.
Shelby Abbot has written a great little book on a hugely relevant topic. It’s simply written and features engaging stories and illustrations. The appendix mentions resources for readers to dig deeper into any of the four areas covered. If you or someone you know is lonely and can’t see a way forward, this is one to check out.
