Do you ever set aside time for silence and solitude?

People who know me would tell you that I’m a people person and an extrovert. I am energized by being around other people. I love to interact with them, especially other believers. 

I spend most of my time in the day around students, faculty, or family members. I’m either teaching students in the classroom, meeting with faculty and administration, interacting with my family, or fellowshipping with my church family members. 

Although I’m an extrovert who enjoys being around people, I need times of silence and solitude each day to read God’s Word and pray. It’s also essential for me to have time to meditate upon Scripture and communicate with the Lord about the present and the future. 

Jesus took such time to separate from the crowds and be alone with the Father. He frequently went to spend time alone in prayer and solitude. Luke writes,

But the news about him spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. Yet he often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.

Luke 5:15-16 (CSB)

If Jesus found it necessary to withdraw from the crowds to pray, how much more do we need those times of silence and solitude with the Lord.

What are some ways we can spend times of silence and solitude with the Lord:

1. Have a daily time of prayer and Bible reading in a quiet place.
2. Find a place away from people where you can go during the week to pray.
3. Take a weekend retreat to pray and seek the Lord’s will regarding your schedule and priorities.
4. Spend time in nature on a hike to get away and pray.
5. Find a special place in your house or your yard where you can go to be alone and pray.

If we are going to live like Jesus, we will take time to get away from the crowd to pray and spend time with the Lord. We need such times of silence and solitude. 

Blessings!

(Click here for more posts from Tim McKnight.)