Lonely Places

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray (Mark 1, Luke 5). I think God puts me in lonely spots sometimes so I will slow down and just see my enormous, gaping need for Him. He wants my heart, my mind, my will, and my strength. If I am filled with activity and people every moment,  I just don’t feel so needy to be filled with His all consuming love. He is faithful in my “I love people” way of living to slow me down and remind me that it is essential to a healthy relationship to withdraw to lonely places and seek Him.

Psalm 62:5 says, “Find REST oh my SOUL in God ALONE…” Soul rest comes from God alone and only comes when I feel poor and needy for Him and Him alone.

Have you ever considered that a lonely place could be God’s doing in your life? So many times we see lonely times from our little “pity party” corner of life and miss that God orchestrated each circumstance to bring us to the lonely place with Him. We need to quit praying for deliverance from every conflict and grow-up to maturity in the circumstance by clinging to God, His Word and His Way.

I know I get up refreshed and truly find “soul rest” when I am willing to say “yes Lord” and cry out to Him from whatever desert place my soul has been parked. I don’t need new people or circumstances in my life, I just need time in the lonely place to be consumed by God. I need such an awe of Him that I am willing to love anyone through anything.

So, next time you feel some distance, face some rejection, find yourself feeling a bit alone or left out, how about seeing it as an invitation from a consuming, loving, longing Heavenly Father who wants you all to Himself in the lonely place. He is the one who longs to refresh your soul, speak to your heart, fill your empty places and sustain you through anything!

Cannot be reproduced without permission from shellyanne1130@gmail.com

Popular Posts