Lonely Places

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 5:16

Jesus work on Earth was being noticed.  People were flocking to him for healing.  They were eager to hear his teaching.  His influence was growing.

And yet, he “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

This is both convicting and freeing.

As the pace of influence and leadership grows in our lives, the demands become greater.  People’s expectations escalate.

I’ve often felt guilty for how much I long for quiet, for space to think, for time alone.

Jesus modeled this for us well.  He withdrew.  He got away.

He withdrew to lonely places.  Places of solitude.  I think the word “lonely” here is significant because to be lonely implies some discomfort.  It would probably have been more enjoyable to get away with just his closest friends, but to make himself lonely suggests that he wasn’t just seeking relaxation and retreat.  I suspect that he went to lonely places because it is when we are stripped of everything common and comfortable that we are more attuned to God.

And in those lonely places he prayed.  He knew that at the peek of his influence he most needed to hear from God.

For those in seasons where your influence and leadership are growing exponentially, be all the more diligent to seek lonely places to get alone and pray.