In their song “Eleanor Rigby,” the Beatles ask some questions about lonely people: “Where do they all come from?” “Where do they all belong?” If they were pondering the extensiveness of loneliness in 1966, what would they say about it today, when the United States Surgeon General in 2023 called it a public health epidemic?

What Is Loneliness?

Loneliness isn’t merely being alone. After all, Scripture includes many examples of the benefits of solitude. John the Baptist purposefully lived in the wilderness for a time (Matt. 3). Jesus often withdrew to rest and pray (Luke 5:16 CSB).

Loneliness is different from solitude. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines loneliness as “feeling like you do not have meaningful or close relationships or a sense of belonging.” In a 2025 poll, the American Psychiatric Association found that 33 percent of adults say they experience those feelings at least once a week,1 and in 2024, 10 percent said they were lonely every day.2 Those numbers skyrocket for Gen Z, with Cigna’s survey on Loneliness in America 2025 reporting that 67 percent of those born between 1997 and 2006 described themselves as lonely.3

Why Is Loneliness So Prevalent?

Loneliness is uniquely prevalent in society today because we are . . .

Connected yet alone.

Smartphones and social media make engaging with others easier than ever. And yet screen interactions have increasingly replaced more meaningful face-to-face engagement. The result is often shallow relationships in which you can interact at any given moment but you feel less known.

Convenient yet isolated.

Self-checkout lines. Food delivery. Online shopping. Remote jobs. Live-streamed church services. While convenient, these services can perpetuate isolation, as our natural opportunities for daily interaction dwindle one by one.

Curated yet deprived of collective experiences.

In the world of individualized algorithms and unlimited choice in content, each person is experiencing the world through a different lens, curated specifically for them and separating them from the experiences of others.

Informed yet overwhelmed.

The amount of information we consume in a day is astounding, showing us things that may have little to do with our day-to-day lives or that are taking place all around the world. This onslaught of information, often negative in nature, can lead to anxiety, as we feel the weight of burdens we were never meant to carry. Anxiety often leads to withdrawal, and we can feel alone in our despair.

Where Is Our Hope?

Meaningful connection and belonging are key to not feeling lonely. But the unique aspects of society today and the universal challenges of the human experience make it harder to have connection and belonging.

So where is our hope? Ecclesiastes 1:9 reminds us, “There is nothing new under the sun.” We have always been designed for community, and the enemy has always been at work to divide us. We have always been made to be satisfied in relationship with our Father, to trust Him to give us everything we need, and the enemy has taunted from the beginning, “Did God really say?” (Gen. 3:1). The enemy’s methods may be different — technology, convenience, information overload — but his goals are the same: division, doubt, distance from God and each other. If there is nothing new under the sun, that means the remedy is the same — not necessarily for relief from our circumstances but for hope in the hard places.

Second Peter 1:3 reminds us, “His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness.” Everything we need to lay down our phones and pursue face-to-face connection. Everything we need to reach out in our pain. Everything we need to be comforted when we feel misunderstood or unsupported. Everything we need to lay the burdens of our hearts, our homes, and the world at His feet.

Where do the lonely people belong?

In the arms of the Father, who will never leave them alone. And in the welcoming, including arms of a church family, among whom they can find connection and community in Christ together.

Jennifer Phillips is a licensed counselor at Restore Ministries in Birmingham, Alabama. She is also the author of Bringing Lucy Home and Hope When It’s Hard, as well as the coauthor of Unhitching from the Crazy Train: Finding Rest in a World You Can’t Control. She is a wife and mother of four and loves reading great books, writing, and spending time with her family.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this article is not meant to diagnose or treat a mental health condition. We encourage you to follow up with your health-care provider and seek a mental health professional for individual consultation and care.

1. “Media Advisory: New Polling Data on Loneliness, Experts Available from American Psychiatric Association,” American Psychiatric Association, February 26, 2025, https://www.psychiatry.org/News-room/News-Releases/Media-Advisory-New-Polling-Data-on-Loneliness-Expe.

2. “New APA Poll: One in Three Americans Feels Lonely Every Week,” American Psychiatric Association, January 30, 2024, https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/new-apa-poll-one-in-three-americans-feels-lonely-e.

3. “Loneliness in America 2025,” Cigna, accessed February 17, 2026, https://newsroom.thecignagroup.com/loneliness-in-america.