When withdrawing is good…
Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16 NIV
...I shall wander back again to this vast, serene, and Godful wilderness, sure that I shall find my own heart again within its sacred solitude. To sit in solitude, to think in solitude with only the music of the stream and the Cedar to break the flow of silence, there lies the value of wilderness. John Muir
2025 was an incredibly busy year as preparing for the launch of Paths of Joy took much more time and energy than I anticipated. I’m a natural extrovert most of the time and enjoy spending time with my adult children and extended family as well as friends. On top of my active social life, I also am busy as a part time tutor, a community group leader, and frequently reach out to provide encouragement to others. I also have fur family, a pup and a cat, who bring both joy and responsibilities. Finally, there’s the house and yard upkeep. Adding in one more thing, especially something so unknown to me as starting both a business and ministry was a lot. Learning the new technology to develop a website as well as navigate government sites to become licensed was very time consuming.
So just before my debut art show, I slipped off to the mountains with just my pup. Normally, I’m quite the extrovert, but that ten or fifteen percent introvert in me needs to have its way occasionally, particularly when life gets overwhelming.
In scripture, Jesus models the value of solitude. During Jesus years of ministry, he was with people almost constantly. Teaching not only his group of twelve disciples, but also teaching, ministering, and healing countless others must have been overwhelming at times. So Jesus often withdraw to “lonely places” to pray. Spending time with His Father in Creation was necessary refreshment to continue to effectively minister to others.
It comforts me to know that Jesus showed how important it is to spend time alone because our society doesn’t typically value solitude, often getting solitude confused with loneliness. Solitude is a conscious choice to withdraw from the daily obligations of life to refresh and renew one’s spirit. It can be experienced anywhere where there are no people. At home. In a church. In nature. Alternatively, loneliness is a lack of needed true connection with other people and can sadly occur in a crowd as well as when being physically alone.
That day that I went to the mountains was a choice of solitude. We, my pup and I, hiked to a beautiful mountain lake where we had the entire lake to ourselves. Stretching out on a rock with my pup next to me, breathing fresh air and listening to the lapping sounds of the water on the rocks along the shore…was restorative in a way that only time alone with God can be. After we experienced a time of rest, we joyfully explored the area and another two mountain lakes. When I returned home that day, my heart was at ease and I was ready to jump back into an active life.
Do you need a break from routine, a time for renewal? Instead of non-stop time with others, even being involved with people when not addressing responsibilities, maybe it just might be time to savor a bit of solitude!
