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Habits of a Healthy Heart—3

The Habit of Solitude

“22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest.”

Ecclesiastes 2:22-23



 "5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. 7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!”

Matthew 6:5-8

1. Solitude is Not Isolation 

“18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone…” 

Genesis 2:18

“25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

Hebrews 10:25

Jesus modeled taking time away to be His Heavenly Father. 

“It’s ironic that in a culture where loneliness and isolation are almost pandemic, solitude is so foreign to us.” - Gary Thomas “Sacred Pathways”

“But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” 

Matthew 6:6

2. Solitude is Intentional

Jesus Models Solitude:

• Before choosing the 12 Apostles. 

“12 One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. 13 At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:” 

Luke 6:12-13

• After a long, hard day of work (Feeding 5000).

“23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.” 

Matt 14:23

• After ministering to lots of people.

“15 But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer." 

Luke 5:15-16

• After losing a family member (John the Baptist)

“12 Later, John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened. 13 As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns.” 

Matt 14:10-13

3. Intimacy Requires Consistency

“22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’”

Matthew 7:22-23

How to spend time with God:

• Find a time
• Pick a space
• Pray
• Thank God for who He is
• Thank God for what He’s done
• Ask Him for what you need
• Sit with Him for a moment.