As we approach this Easter Sunday how can we honor God?

Jesus reminds us “He loves when we spend quite time with Him in solitude and prayer.”!   “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16

What comes to your mind when you think of solitude? Dread? Maybe you think of a prisoner in solitary confinement. Or maybe you think of the last time you were the only one home and you got to enjoy the quiet. Most of us have extreme opinions of solitude: either it makes us uncomfortable and we never engage in it or we have a tendency to become too isolated. Mary Doria Russell “how can you hear you soul if everyone is talking?”

Solitude is more a state of mind and heart than an actual physical place. Think back to one of your most hectic days. How did you get through it? Were you able to close your eyes for a moment, take a deep breath, and connect with God? All of us, because of our busy lives, have moments when we need to refocus and reconnect with our Father. The discipline of solitude trains us to do that. Whether we are in a crowd or on a desert island, we can enjoy solitude. It is truly an inner posture of the heart.

As Christians, we are never truly alone because we always have access to communion with God. It sounds great to be able to have this kind of connection with God, but many of us aren’t sure how to get it. The secret lies in our understanding of our identity in Christ. When we base our identity in who we are in Christ, we know our personal value comes from, who God says we are and Christ’s work on our behalf. That relieves a lot of pressure. In the peace that comes from that assurance, we can relax and draw close to Him. There, in our solitude, the Lord is able to refocus our hearts, bringing us the freedom and joy that the abundant life in Jesus promises.

Challenge yourself today to find a place of solitude each day for 5 minutes! A suggestion is to make a meeting reminder for everyday to have solitude and you will be honoring God!