Regrets

Where do you find yourself on the introvert-extrovert spectrum? People who are more extroverted tend to value their time with other people because the interaction and conversations give them energy. People who are more introverted tend to value their time alone, away from other people, because that’s what fuels them. On which side do you tend to find yourself?

In the stories of Jesus in the Bible, we often find Him taking time away from the crowds and even His disciples to be completely alone with His Father. Why did Jesus do this? Did He just need some time alone from the constant pressure of the crowds wanting to see Him do miracles? Was He a more introverted person who needed this time away more than others?

We can’t determine from Scripture if Jesus was an introvert or an extrovert, but one thing is clear: Jesus put a high value on His time alone with God! During that time, He could have been healing dozens of sick people. He could have been teaching people important truths about God. But He very intentionally stepped away from it all to pray. While Jesus was Himself fully God (and fully human), He still took time to be alone with God the Father. We get a glimpse of one of Jesus’s prayers when He was in Gethsemane. Jesus knew He was going to be betrayed soon, and He took three of His friends with Him when He prayed in the olive grove. Jesus was in agony as He prayed that, if there was any other way, God would take away the suffering Jesus was about to endure. Still, Jesus prayed, “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine†(Luke 22:42). And God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus so He could endure suffering and death as a sacrifice for our sins. And just as God promised, Jesus rose from the dead!

Through His actions, Jesus taught us the necessity of choosing to get alone with God. That may be hard for some of us who prefer not to be alone—ever! And even those of us who are more introverted have a hard time devoting that alone time to being with God. But while spending time with people can be draining, spending time with God is different—God fills us and refreshes us in His presence. The more you learn to step away from everything to be alone with God, the more you’ll see that His love fills your deepest needs. • Mandy Desilets

• Have you ever spent time alone with God? What was it like?

• What keeps you from making time to be alone with God? What questions do you have?

But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. Luke 5:16 (NLT)

Read Verses:

2Cor.7.10|Matt.11.28-Matt.11.30