Time of Solitude

February 09, 2021

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’ And he said to them, ‘Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.’ And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.” - Mark 1:35-39

Jesus seemed to isolate himself fairly often. He was constantly waking up early to pray, or staying up late at night, or even spending forty days in the wilderness by himself. I would love to know what he was thinking and praying in these times of solitude.

Was Jesus just introverted, or was there a significance to these moments he sought to pray alone? It seems self-explanatory; Jesus simply needed time alone with his Father! However, it’s important to unpack the actions of Jesus and replicate them in our own lives.

Solitude can bring us into conversation with the Holy Spirit, who can provide guidance throughout the day. Have you ever truly stilled your heart in a moment of silence and sought out the word of God? It can be such an encouraging and freeing moment of relationship with God; however, it can be hard to stop the mind from wandering to the nearest problem.

If you desire to cultivate moments where your heart can be receptive to the Spirit, I encourage you to begin to memorize passages of Scripture that speak to you. Then, every time your mind wanders, you have a text of truth to refer back to. The more you spend time reflecting on the Bible in these moments of silence, the more you look to the heart of God. This allows Jesus to be your primary focus, it allows you to make biblical connections, and most importantly it trains your brain to seek the intercession of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Then, when it does come time to be in community with other people, you can be grounded like Jesus in your conviction of the Spirit. This produces fullness of faith and allows you to trust Christ in your interactions with others. The Holy Spirit is mysterious, but he is very active. When you begin to trust God with your time, you open up your heart for transformation.

Reflection:
How would the Lord call you to time alone with him today?