Gift of Solitude

And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”…

(Mark 6:31, NKJV)

We have all learnt to keep so busy that if one is not dealing with something that demands energy and busyness, we are bored.  The world has given value to always being busy doing something and sadly, one could find that they do not even take the time to understand or think through what they are busy doing.  The reference to getting on a hamster wheel seems to be the reality of many, where a lot of activity is taking place while the individual who sweats it out achieves nothing important.  It seems like there is always something requiring attention and yet little time to do it.  That places many on a path of exhaustion and frustration after one has done all he/she knows yet fails to achieve what he/she was pursuing or expecting.  This is a position of not only failure but disappointment which steals an individual’s strength, energy and hope, a sad place to be in.  Beloved, allow me to implore you to take a break and take a close look into where we are in this busyness of life. 

In our reference verse above, we see Jesus calling His disciples to a place away from others, and the reason is to allow them to rest.  The passage informs us that many people were around and Jesus noticed that His disciples did not even have time to eat.  He therefore called them aside, got onto a boat and went away for a moment of quiet, rest and refreshing so that they could get back to serve the people.  It is after this verse that we read of Jesus feeding a crowd of five thousand by multiplying five loaves of bread and two fish.  Jesus gave us a hint that we need to take time to recharge and not always be on the roll.  This is a pattern for us to consider and copy.  Taking time away from others gives us an opportunity to connect not only with our inner selves but also to hear what God is whispering to our hearts.  We get the front seat to see and hear God in a way that we are not able to do if we are always busy in the physical.  We are informed in the scriptures that Jesus often withdrew Himself to quiet places to pray and commune with His Father (Luke 5;16;  Luke 6:12;  Matthew 14:23).  Brethren, we cannot do less, we have a pattern to follow, for there is purpose and wisdom in living as our Lord and Master lived.

Many could look at the idea of solitude as strange and retrogressive.  Let us not confuse solitude with loneliness, one can be lonely even in a crowd while solitude refers to a deliberate choice that one makes to take time alone.  Jesus showed us the importance of this stepping away telling us that when we pray we should lock our door and pray to our Father who is in the secret place (Matthew 6:6).  We pray and commune with God in the privacy of our lives but He rewards us publicly.  It is as if God calls us to seek Him quietly and privately but when He chooses to show up on our behalf, He does so in the open letting all see His majesty.  That is a beautiful thought and one worth expecting as we take time to be with God in private spaces.

We find individuals in the bible who had learnt the power of ‘alone’ time with God.  David the great psalmist reminds us our rest is in God alone, our souls find rest and salvation in God alone, the God who is our rock and fortress (Psalm 62:1-2,5).  David had a strong revelation of God which gave him a solid relationship with the almighty so that even in his battles he confidently tells us to be still and know that Jehovah alone is God (Psalm 46:10).  Relationships are strengthened by the dedicated time we spend with the other person, the same is true with God who invites us to a personal relationship with Himself.  Ours is to draw near to Him with reverence and open hearts so that we can learn from His unending well of love for us.  Prophet Habakkuk reminds us that when we find ourselves in the presence of God we can only be silent (Habakkuk 2:20).  The more we get to know God and spend time in His presence, the more we are in awe of His majesty and greatness.  We then get to depend and wait on Him, Jeremiah lets us know that God is good to those who wait and search for Him (Lamentations 3:25-26).  Beloved, in the busyness of our days, let us curve some time to just sit in His presence, listen and hear what He says, look to Him and see what He shows us, let us enjoy His loving presence.

Thoughts:

Do you have a practice to take time alone with God?

What might you need to make your time with God more intimate?

How has this quiet time impacted your life?