Talk about a fast-paced, busy place! Can you imagine? Crowds of people arriving, some of them probably raising their voices to be heard and pushing their way forward to get closer to Jesus. The scene may have been chaotic. It certainly wasn’t quiet! There were surely some cries of anguish and desperation and other shouts of praise and thanksgiving. Maybe this is what your life feels like sometimes. Lots of people needing your attention, lots of noise coming from every direction, lots of expectations placed on your shoulders, and lots of people watching you to see how you respond. 

Jesus’ next move is astonishing, and it should teach us a powerful lesson. 

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. -Mark 1:35

Wow! Remember, He had just started healing people and had all sorts of people wanting help. In addition, His miracle-working powers were finally stepping into the spotlight for the first time. So people were noticing Him in a new way and probably admiring Him, too. It seems like it could have been easy for Jesus to get swept away in His surroundings. I wonder if He thought about the multitasking He could start doing? Perhaps He could heal one person while keeping an eye on His disciples to see if He was impressing them, while also thinking about how He would organize the next group of people who were walking His way. 

But no, Jesus woke up before the day’s agenda began, and He slipped away by Himself. But that didn’t stop His disciples from looking for Him…

Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” -Mark 1:36-37 

There it is. The invitation from the world back into the busy, multitasking life. Simon was saying, Come on, Jesus! You have an admiring crowd waiting on you. Come heal some more people so you can help them and make a name for yourself. 

But Jesus was not to be drawn into something He knew was not God’s primary will for Him. Maybe because of the alone time He’d just spent in silent prayer, He was clear on his “why.” And although healing and driving out demons was part of God’s plan for Jesus while on earth, His main mission was to teach. 

Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” -Mark 1:38

Jesus’ refocus and redirection came out of His time spent in silence and solitude. What kind of refocus and redirection might come out of your time spent in silence and solitude? Have you intentionally made time for that lately? 

This question has convicted me recently. Now let me tell you, I spend time reading God’s Word every day! My day does not feel complete without opening up my Bible. And my day does not feel complete without talking to the Lord. But spending time in prayer and Scripture doesn’t necessarily equate to silence and solitude. Creating a place and space for silence and solitude is its own separate practice. 

If you’d like to join me on my quest to learn more about what this might look like, come on along! Here are a few things I’m planning to do in the next few weeks:

• Ask the Holy Spirit to teach and lead me in establishing a regular practice of silence and solitude.
• Listen to Solitude episodes of the “Rule of Life” podcast by Practicing the Way. (Scroll back to September/October 2023 to find all six episodes.) 
• Read “Invitation to Solitude and Silence,” by Ruth Haley Barton.

I’m excited about what I might learn. In this fast-paced world, it’s critical to plan in time for silence and solitude. Just like Jesus’ alone time, your alone time with God will not only draw you nearer to Him, it may also help you realign and remember your “why.” This might be the perfect time to go against your instincts and the way of the world! Swim upstream and buck the system. Do some single-tasking and put your entire attention on the Lord for some precious minutes of silence and solitude.