Rethinking Solitude

Ruth

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

—Mark 1:35

I never fully understood, or appreciated, the discipline of solitude until well into adulthood. Sure, I had studied about growing in Christ by reading God’s Word, memorizing scripture, devoting time to prayer, and serving others. But solitude always puzzled me, especially as an extrovert.

Who wants to be alone? I love people. I have always found myself energized by being with others, not by getting away from them! And then life, with all its joy and demands, began to open my eyes to the importance of getting alone.

What had once seemed strange to me suddenly began to feel like a necessity. I rediscovered passages like Mark 1:35. Jesus, after a long and demanding day, started His new day by getting up and getting alone—He practiced solitude. If Jesus needed solitude, surely I do too.

But God has been showing me lately that I have only partially understood the importance of solitude. Many of us tend to view solitude as our time away. It’s time to be alone with God. To hear from Him. To be refreshed. And while all this is true, I missed an important part of solitude. Alone time is not the end goal. It is a means to something far more important, something that Jesus taught was the greatest commandment: to love God and love others.

In other words, solitude is not primarily about withdrawing from people, but withdrawing for people. Jesus withdrew for the sake of reengaging people to love, heal, and bless them. Solitude does require that we get alone, but we do it so when we reengage with family, friends, or coworkers, we are the kind of people who love others well.

Solitude is not just for us; solitude is for the sake of others.

Father, my soul finds rest in You alone. You renew me with Your love, grace, and truth. Help me cultivate the discipline of solitude, not just for my sake, but for the sake of others. Remind me that my times of getting alone with You are ultimately meant to move me closer to others—to bring life, healing, truth, and hope to those You surround me with. In Jesus’ name, amen.

What is one way you can begin cultivating the discipline of solitude in your own life?

What are the top one or two obstacles you need to overcome to practice times of being alone?