Strength through Solitude
So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. Luke 5:16
What gets our attention gets us. In 1879, Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb, but few could imagine how it would drastically alter modern life, from the economy to healthcare and how we communicate with people. Before the lightbulb was invented, the average American slept 11 hours a night; think about that for a minute: that is almost half a day! With the average American sleeping about 7 hours a day and undoubtedly less if they have young children, it is no wonder most people feel chronically exhausted. How can we have a meaningful, unhurried spiritual life when modern life is moving at such a frantic pace? How can we emulate the life of Jesus in a culture that seems to never sleep?
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus’ public ministry began with the Holy Spirit leading Him into the wilderness for 40 days. This time of solitude allowed Jesus to be alone with God and contemplate His mission. Being alone with His Father would strengthen the Savior to face temptation as He walked down the road of redemption that led to the cross. Such times of solitude were not isolated events for Jesus; He would regularly retreat alone to pray. Luke writes that Jesus often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. It seems that Jesus had a pattern when it came to prayer and His time with God. So how do we find time to be alone with God amid all the notifications that appear on our phones, all the alarms that buzz, and the distractions that so often surround us?
One of the ways we can do that is to recognize our limits. Through prayer and devotion, Jesus understood the limitations of being mortal and the need to worship in the wilderness. In case you were wondering, this is not a corporate call to move to the foothills of Wyoming to worship, but if that is part of your spring break plans, know that I am cheering for you. Instead, Jesus deeply understood the limits of being human, which led Him to seek the limitlessness of God, His Father (Heb 4:15-16). Our first parents Adam and Eve sought to become limitless in the Garden of Eden, and the world was ruined; Jesus chose to become limited on earth as the world was redeemed. Believing we are limitless is dangerous and can cause our bodies and minds to rebel in all sorts of unhealthy ways. Recognizing our limits is an invitation to seek strength through solitude with God.
Seeking the immeasurable God could be as simple as turning off our phones for one hour in the evening or setting boundaries around specific time windows during the week to pray like Daniel did when he served as prime minister of Medo-Persia. Ellen White writes, “The youth who finds his joy in reading the Word of God, and in the hour of prayer, will be constantly refreshed by drafts from the fountain of life…the strength acquired in prayer to God will prepare us for our daily duties.” May we find increased strength this spring break to face each challenge with hope and courage in solitude with our Savior. When God has our attention, He also has us (Matt 6:21).
REFLECTION:
Reflecting on the statistic that before the lightbulb, the average American slept for eleven hours a night, what does this say about the pace of modern life and its impact on our well-being?
What lessons can we learn from Jesus' regular retreats into the wilderness to pray?
How can acknowledging our human limitations lead us to seek strength and renewal through solitude with God?
During this Spring Break, how can you intentionally use this time to withdraw and deepen your relationship with God.
References
White, Ellen Gould. 1955. Sons and Daughters of God. Review and Herald Publishing Association
Earley, Justin Whitmel. The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction: InterVarsity Press, 2023.
