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Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Solitude is the state of being alone or being removed from the hustle and bustle of a day. As we consider daily rest that can help us with work-life balance, I was intrigued by solitude. Simply, this isn’t something I do well, but I know it is a habit that can help draw me closer to God.
I know we say we want alone time, especially in the hurried pace of each day and competing priorities, but do we really like solitude? How do we quiet our minds when we do find this time? What could this look like?
We can look to our best model of rest once again: Jesus. First, when did Jesus find solitude and where? From Scripture, we know Jesus would often rise up in the morning while it was still dark to head to desolate places like a mountaintop to be in solitude. He knew doing this before the hustle of the day started would mean less interruption. He also knew it wasn’t a matter of just rolling out of bed or resting quietly in bed to find this space. He physically went somewhere else.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a solitary place… (Mark 1:35).
Yesterday, we talked about the importance of sleep, so maybe rising early isn’t something you feel you can do yet! Getting your sleep habits in order can get you into the holy rest habit of rising early like Jesus to find solitude! If you live somewhere where the weather is good so you can be in nature, that’s amazing! But, for many of us who balance work and children, the solitary place may look a little different. Just like you work on small changes to your sleep habits, how can you adjust in small ways to find solitude in your home space? Is there a nook, or a corner or a comfy chair calling to you?
Why did Jesus seek solitude, and what did he do when he was truly alone? He considered important matters and prayed to God. It is also how he dealt with the heavy emotions like the loss of a dear friend or the stress of the multitudes seeking him in need.
Does this sound like you? I know as a Christian working woman you have many important matters to consider. You have stress from the day and quite often, you experience things which trouble your soul. If you are not finding moments of holy rest in solitude, how can you commune with the Lord to help discern important decisions or simply tell him your feelings?
Can you set that alarm even 15 minutes earlier tomorrow? Let rest be your motivation!