Seeking Solitude with the Savior
By Rev. Kyle Norman
Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus withdrew to a solitary place, and there he prayed.” - Mark 1:35
I have a confession to make. I’m not as efficient as I should be. There are times when I feel that I don’t really produce much during my day. I probably spend far too much time on my phone. I scroll Instagram or Facebook; I putter with Amazon. And during the evening, I probably spend far too much time in front of the television.
I feel this way in my regular life, but I also feel this in my spiritual life. At times, I have questions like, “Have I done enough for God?” “Am I as faithful as Jesus calls me to be?” “Doesn’t the Spirit want me to do something?” Do you ever ask yourselves these questions?
The drive to constant movement can also be disastrous in our spiritual lives. It’s easy to heap upon us a sense of self-condemnation over what we may feel is a lack of spiritual productivity. After all, we say things like “idle hands are the devil’s playthings” or “God helps those who help themselves.” These phrases, which do not occur in scripture, make us believe that spiritual blessings are somehow connected to the amount of work we do, or the results we produce. But these are simply veiled versions of works-based righteousness, and it is disastrous for our spiritual lives.
Was Jesus the example of pristine efficiency? Did he pursue productivity over prayer? No. Jesus often withdrew himself to lonely places, removing himself from the busyness of his ministry and the frenetic call of crowds. Despite the pressing needs that constantly surrounded him, Jesus often sought times to be alone. To put it another way, in a results-oriented world, Jesus wasted his time… a lot.
Jesus knew that plugging into his life with the Father, necessitated the need to unplug from the demands of the world. So, Jesus sought out the time and the space conducive to such prayerful attending. “Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus withdrew to a solitary place” (Mark 1:35). The word used for “solitary place’ can also be translated as “wasted place,” it describes a place of no habitation, no population, a place of complete stillness, solitude, and silence. Jesus sought out a place devoid of all activity and noise so he could attend to the Father’s presence and voice.
Furthermore, Jesus’ time in solitude was not a one-time event. He frequently sought out times and places. For example, Jesus spends time in solitude before he chooses the disciples (Luke 6:12); He seeks a lonely place after the disciples return from their first mission (Mark 6:31); He spends time praying alone following the feeding of the 5000 (Mark 6:46); and seeks time alone in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36). Through the course of his ministry, Jesus frequently engaged in times of solitude.
Jesus didn’t enter these solitude times simply to recharge his spiritual battery. Jesus sought out solitude and silence to receive instruction and direction regarding his Messianic mission. After spending the morning in a lonely place, Jesus emerged with clarity as to the direction of his ministry. Amid the pressing demands, and the reminder that “Everyone is looking for you!”, Jesus was sure he must go to the surrounding villages because that is why he had come (Mark 1:38). Jesus would often emerge from his time in wasted places with a sense of clarity or direction.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
The same sense of calmness and peace can be felt in our lives as well. As we live our Christian lives, we may face difficult decisions. Similarly, the weight of all our demands and tasks may weigh heavily on our shoulders. In the face of such things, times solitude and silence can be calming to us. They provide needed relief, direction, and strength. The more we spend time with Jesus, in a focused time of prayerful attending, the greater degree of direction we have, and the greater peace we hold as we navigate the unknowns of our faith life.
We can easily fall into the temptation of busyness in our lives. We may tell ourselves that we don’t have the time to cultivate solitude and silence. “There is too much going on!” we say; “If I don’t do this no one else will,” “Everyone is counting on me.” But is this true? After all, as busy as I tell myself I am, I always have time to scroll through social media from time to time. And despite the pressing demands of the ministry, I’m always home in time for my favorite television show. Deep down, we all know that being “too busy” to find alone time with Jesus is a lie. If we truly seek it, we can find the time necessary to connect with him.
If you want to have a deeper faith, then waste your time with Jesus. Seek solitude with your Savior. Cultivate a habit where He is your focus, where you attend to His presence and His voice. Doing so is easier than you might think. You might observe a time of silent prayer for 5 minutes in the morning; Or you could spend time in silence at the end of the day. The great thing about these times of solitude is that we never have to manage it or master it. In these wasted places, away from the demand of productivity or efficiency, we simply allow Jesus to do his work in our lives. The more we engage in such time, the more we will find is that our connection with Jesus doesn’t just remain in those solitary moments but remains with us constantly throughout our day.
How will you seek solitude with Jesus in your life this week?
Further Reading:
Mark 1:35-39
1 Kings 19:11-18
How to Seek God in Silence and Solitude
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Jacoblund
The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada. He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others. He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca. He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.
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