Potentially Isolation.
Nic DykesBut Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 5:16Time alone is something of a rarity for me these days. I don’t even get this from my child when I’m in the bathroom! In the past though, I’ve had many periods of time alone, which I thought were instances of solitude. However, when I thought more deeply about solitude and researched it, I realised that being away from people is not necessarily solitude…
but potentially i s o l a t i o n .
John Mark Comer describes solitude as ‘intended time alone in the quiet to be with yourself and God’.
My time alone was because of unemployment or lone working and I found myself desperately trying to fill the quiet with streaming way too much TV, listening to Spotify and messaging on WhatsApp.
I wanted to fill the void of loneliness with distraction.
Running to anything other than God when alone isn’t solitude.
Jesus spent a lot of his time in quiet places. He wasn’t there because he had no choice. He wasn’t there because he hated people or to run away from his responsibilities.
He was there to spend carved out time with the Father.
He was there to be real with the Lord and to listen to what the Lord had to say to Him. Jesus was prioritising his relationship with the Father above everything and everyone else.
Jesus came back from these times of solitude ready to tell people about the kingdom of heaven and ready to build that kingdom here on earth.
I’m challenged by Jesus’ example.
I find waiting to hear what the Lord has to say to me in the lonely place is daunting.
When I’ve put my phone away and tried solitude though, I’ve come away unburdened, repentant, healed, encouraged and a little bit more like Jesus.
Find a quiet place
where you won’t be disturbed.
Tell Jesus how you feel
and listen to what He has to say to you.
Lord Jesus, help us to go somewhere to spend time with you in the quiet. Help us to listen to you speaking and to be real with you. Help us to leave a time with you ready for what you are calling us to.
Amen.
