Jesus prayed in solitude
By Bill Gaultiere © 2011
“Solitude is the creation of an open, empty space in our lives by purposely abstaining from interaction with other human beings, so that, freed from competing loyalties, we can be found by God” (Life with God Bible, p. 531).
Solitude is Important for Spiritual Growth
“But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (Habakkuk 2:20).
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).
“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
Solitude Can be Difficult and Beneficial, Practice is Needed
“I was silent and still… my anguish increased. My heart grew hot within me… I meditated… Show me, O Lord… how fleeting is my life… Each man’s life is but a breath. Selah” (Ps. 39:2-5).
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone” (Psalm 62:5).
“Since we live by the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).
In Old Testament Times God’s People Practiced Solitude
“Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the ‘tent of meeting’… The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent” (Exodus 33:7, 11).
“[Isaiah] went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him… a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:9, 12).
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul” (David; Psalm 23:1-3).
Jesus Practiced Solitude
“Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16).
“Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them” (Luke 6:12-13).
Jesus Calls his Disciples to Join Him in Solitude
“Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to [his disciples], ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” (Mark 6:31-32).
“God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace… to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia” (Paul; Galatians 1:15-17).
More Soul Shepherding
Learn more about the spiritual disciplines of Silence and Solitude.
Learn about helpful interaction between Solitude and Community.
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Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org
