Sitting down, I pick up my phone. Coming at me a mile a minute are what seem to be a thousand messages. I dive into a news article. Yet, even as I scroll through this article, five more articles present along the right side of my screen. A pop-up advertisement flashes up.  Before long, halfway through the article, an advertisement presents in the center of my page. It shows toothpaste being squirted between someone’s toes.  Sensation aims to lure me in.

Sighing in annoyance, I set down my phone. A second later, I hear a buzz. Text messages need to be responded to. I do that.

Needing more stimuli, I open YouTube. Here, one video leads to another. Some church scandal story wants to get my attention, which would then, I know, lead my mind down a rabbit trail of the state of the church and the moral failings of its leaders. Now I’m overwhelmed.

I’m assaulted by the needs and happenings of the world.

I wonder if this is how Jesus felt? Everyone, who had eyes to see must have known that Jesus had their answers! It’s why one grabbed his hem; it’s why another called out to Him with a loud voice; it’s why multitudes gathered around Him.

Jesus was barraged in a different, but similar way.

How did Jesus handle the barrage of the world?

Jesus had “Ways of Solitude” that kept His heart set on God. Let’s look at the biblical ways of Jesus to discover how, we too, can keep our heart set on God.

How did Jesus handle the barrage of the world?
Jesus had “Ways of Solitude” that kept His heart set on God.

Way of Solitude #1:  Jesus didn’t put the call to love man over the first command, the call to love God.

“But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” (Luke 5:15-16, ESV)

Just because we see a need doesn’t mean we are the one to fill it. If we love man, and forsake God, we will miss the first and greatest command. Solitude helps us to seek God first to ensure our “why” is right.

In solitude, we may ask questions like: Why do we want to help people? Is it so we look good to others? Is it so we feel powerful?

Solitude with God helps us identify the motives of our heart.

Way of Solitude #2: Jesus chose to pray before He had things to say.

People may aggravate us to speak rashly, but solitude helps us seek the God above us so we don’t say what we don’t mean to say.

Jesus, in Luke 6 had furious Pharisees coming after Him for healing a man. What did Jesus do?

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” (Luke 6:12, NIV)

When you don’t know what to say, don’t be afraid to pull away and pray. Solitude is often the recovery of sanity that helps one speak compassionately.

Way of Solitude #3: Jesus offers solitude as a way of rest.

“And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” (Mark 6:31, ESV)

Many of us are afraid of desolate places; we think we will have no impact, no connection with others, and no importance. Yet, God doesn’t call us away to places like this to hurt us; He calls us to places like this to rest us up for what is ahead. So that we have a reserve of Him within us that can outpour and overflow on others.

Rest isn’t a time-out punishment; it is a deep place to connect intimately with God and to restore physical reserves.

Rest isn’t a time-out punishment; it is a deep place to connect intimately with God and to restore physical reserves.

Solitude is a way of God that leads us to the heart of God, as we pray to God. How might God be calling you to pull away today to be with Him?