TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. Mark 6:31-32
Read: Mark 6: 31-32
Listen: Mark 6
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Christians practice spiritual disciplines in concert with the Holy Spirit to train ourselves to be godly and mold us into Jesus’s character. This month’s spiritual practice is solitude. Solitude is withdrawing temporarily in privacy to be alone with God. Solitude offers the opportunity for uninterrupted time with the Lord to grow our relationship with him and practice other spiritual disciplines such as prayer, worship, confession or sitting in silence.
Jesus spent regular time alone with the Father throughout his ministry. He withdraws to solitary places to pray, rest and listen to the Father. As crowds press in on him and his disciples, he calls his disciples away to a quiet place to rest and be alone.
Solitude offers respite from the hustle and hurry of our lives to be restored by the Lord. We can regain God’s perspective, listen for his voice, express our faith and trust in him and seek his will about something in our lives. Regular practice of solitude deepens our dependence on God and grows our character to be more like Jesus.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Ask God how you can grow in solitude this month. You could start by finding 5 or 10 minutes each day to be alone with him in quiet. Then look at your calendar, talk to your family if needed, and see if you can find a few hours or an entire day to be in solitude with God in July.
2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.
July is SOLITUDE. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
