Wednesday 8 June 2016

Leave me alone!

Do you ever want to be left alone, away from the pressures of life and people?

Well, it might surprise you to hear that Jesus felt the same. 

He often wanted to be alone and get away from people pressure. 
In John's gospel, I am reading that Jesus tried to go up mountains alone, he sent the disciples off in a boat so he could be alone. He often tried to sneak off to lonely places. Often though, people continued to follow Jesus, they didn't leave him be. He didn't get as much alone time as he would of liked it seems. 
Does that sound familiar? 

As great as it is to be in community and build relationships with people, (and that is vitally important as we were created to have relationships with one another), we also need some alone time. 

Why?

We often want to be alone to; get some peace, to evaluate a situation/feelings/relationship, to work through things, plan, do something we like, get some perspective, or just vent! 
Sometimes, we feel like we just need to be alone. That's ok, Jesus felt the same too!
He often withdrew, or wanted to! 

Why? 

As Jesus was fully man, I'm guessing that he probably struggled with some of the same stuff as we do. I'm sure he sometimes felt; frustrated, disappointed and lonely. The Bible even shows us that Jesus felt like he had to do what he didn't want to do! (in the garden of Gethsemane). Jesus wanted to escape sometimes too. 
So what did he do?

Luke 5:16 says, 'Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed'.

Jesus didn't keep his feelings all bottled up, he talked to his father about them, he vented his feelings, and sought a solution. Like us, he sometimes wanted a different solution to the one he was given. However, he got on with it. No matter the emotional and physical pain. 
To do what he had to do, Jesus must of found strength and perspective when he went to talk to God. 
Jesus task was hard, so hard, he realised he could not do it alone (and he's the son of God!). He also knew that calling on friends to help wouldn't be enough, so he went to the one who can create and change the world! Jesus knew where help, peace, endurance, strength and fulfilment can come from. 

If you're feeling like you want to be alone, that things pile up on you and you're overwhelmed, try it. Go to God, tell him about it. There's no secret formula to prayer, just talk. God will hear you. See if anything changes.

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