Spend Time with God Before Others - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - April 14, 2025
“Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:15-16 (NIV)
Life can get incredibly busy. Our phones buzz, our to-do lists seem endless, and family, friends, and work all need our attention. It often feels like we’re being pulled in lots of different directions at once. When life gets this hectic, we might think the best thing to do is just keep going – keep trying to check items off our to-do lists, and keep trying to be available for everyone all the time. But let’s pause and look at what Jesus did when his life got incredibly busy.
In the Bible passage from Luke chapter 5, Jesus was becoming very well-known. News was spreading fast about his amazing teaching and how he could heal people from their sicknesses. Because of this, large crowds started following Jesus wherever he went. They wanted to hear Jesus speak, and many desperately hoped he would heal them or their loved ones. It must have been an intense time! It seemed like the perfect time for Jesus to reach as many people as possible, since the need was huge.
But right in the middle of all this activity, the Bible tells us something interesting: “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Jesus chose to step away from the crowds and the demands, even when so many people clearly needed him. Jesus often found quiet spots where he could be alone and talk with God.
Why did Jesus make this choice? He knew something really important: His power to help people came directly from his close relationship with God the Father. Even though Jesus is God’s Son, he lived on earth as a human too. Jesus understood the need for that quiet time to connect, to listen, and to talk with his Father.
This time away wasn’t selfish or lazy. It was absolutely essential. It was how Jesus stayed focused on God’s plan for him, instead of getting distracted by all the demands around him. It was how Jesus filled up with everything he needed to help people in the ways God intended.
In our own lives, we often get caught up thinking that doing things for God is the most important part of faith. We measure our success by how busy we are or how much we accomplish. We might even feel guilty if we take breaks to pray in quiet places – like Jesus did – when there’s so much work to be done. But Jesus shows us that spending quality time alone with God isn’t just something nice to do when we feel like we have time for it. Spending time alone with God in prayer is the foundation for everything else we do. It should come first.
When we make it a habit to pray alone with God, we can experience significant renewal and revival. Our souls need time with God to keep going without running empty. In prayer, God gives us the strength and wisdom we need to face challenges and love people well, no matter what. We can also gain a fresh perspective to remember the reasons why we’re doing what we do in the first place. Spending time with God before we jump into time with others helps us understand what God thinks is truly important, not just what feels most urgent in the moment. We can focus on what really has eternal value.
We need to find our own places to be alone with God in prayer. We can pray in our homes before everyone else wakes up, pray in our cars before heading into work, or pray during breaks on short walks outside. Even just a few minutes of intentionally turning off our phones and other distractions to focus fully on God can make a huge positive difference.
It might feel hard to carve out this time. But remember, if Jesus himself needed it regularly, we definitely need it too. So, let's try our best to follow Jesus’ example. Let’s connect with God before we jump into all the demands waiting for us. When we put God first in our day, he promises to help us handle everything else.
Let’s pray:
Dear God, please forgive me for the times I get caught up in the busyness of life and neglect spending quality time alone with you. Help me to see that withdrawing to pray isn't selfish, but important for renewing my soul and receiving your guidance. Please give me the wisdom and discipline to follow Jesus' example of seeking you first before I deal with all the people who want something from me from day to day. I need your help so that everything I do flows from your strength. Thank you, God. Amen.
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