Saturday in the Word | Solitude

As part of the Soul Care Collective Lenten practice, Community Manager Meredith Ainsley has been leading our group through various stages of Lent. This week’s focus is on solitude.

In each lesson, Meredith shares a Visio Divina for us to focus on for the week. I think that perhaps this has been the most eye-opening part for me as a burgeoning visual artist. Visio Divina (Latin for “Divine Seeing”) is a spiritual practice that involves prayerfully meditating on visual art, nature, or sacred imagery as a way to encounter God.

Solitude is the furnace of transformation.

Henri Nouwen

Luke 5:16 shows us the significance Jesus placed on solitude and communion with God. Amidst His demanding ministry, He regularly withdrew from the crowds to seek strength and guidance through prayer. This serves as a powerful reminder for us to prioritize quiet moments with God in our own busy lives, allowing for spiritual renewal and refreshment. Jesus understood the necessity of silence and solitude, making them foundational to His ministry. His practice of withdrawing to pray reflected His deep reliance on the Father, demonstrating that His mission was rooted in intimate communion with God.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 5:16 NIV

Togetherness with God was a key element of Jesus’ daily practice. Is it mine? Is it yours?

Solitude is simply defined as “the state of being alone.” In his spiritual formation masterpiece, the Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster describes solitude as a spiritual discipline essential for growth. He explains that Jesus calls us to move from loneliness to solitude, noting that while loneliness creates inner emptiness, solitude fosters inner fulfillment. So yes, we start out lonely.

Solitude is more a state of mind and heart than it is a place.

Richard Foster

Being alone in silence is challenging. I don’t know about you, but it reminds me of the quiet moments before falling asleep—when my mind fills up with thoughts about everything left undone and the tasks awaiting me the next day.

Solitude provided Jesus with several benefits that we are also able to tap into when we practice solitude.

Renewed Strength: His time alone with God allowed Him to recharge physically, mentally, and spiritually, preparing Him to minister effectively to large crowds and perform miracles.

Guidance and Clarity: Solitude and prayer offered Jesus the space to receive direction and wisdom from God, ensuring His actions aligned with the divine will.

Example for us: His commitment to prayer and retreat modeled a spiritual discipline for His followers, teaching them the importance of seeking God’s presence regularly.

Resilience in Temptation: Before embarking on His public ministry, Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13), where prayer and solitude fortified Him against temptation, showing the power of spiritual preparation.

Balance: Despite the demands of His ministry, Jesus showed that balance is vital. By prioritizing time alone with God, He maintained the spiritual depth required to compassionately serve others.

See how many times Jesus embraced solitude in the Bible:

• He spent 40 days alone in the desert before beginning His ministry.
• Before choosing His disciples, He withdrew to the hills for the night.
• After John the Baptist’s death, He sought solitude on a boat.
• Following the feeding of the five thousand, He retreated to the hills to be alone.
• Before His crucifixion, He prayed in solitude in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus demonstrated the importance of cultivating our relationship with God, equipping us to face life’s work and challenges with strength and purpose.

What did Jesus do? Do that.

Thanks for reading, my friend. Until my next post…

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

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