Yesterday we talked about how being yoked to Jesus can relieve us of the burdens we carry. We’ve also been discussing loneliness and how it’s a common problem in our world; one that breeds isolation, hard-heartedness, and brokenness in relationships. That said, if you take to heart anything I say, it’s this: remember that the solution to these problems is not more people, more work, more events, or more commitments, — it’s less! Just as Jesus set the example for us in finding solitude and silence, we should follow His lead and pursue peaceful times for ourselves.

Our society is constantly on the move. We have more information, more resources, more devices, and more distractions than ever before. Beyond that, we have gridlock; we stand in lines, sit in traffic and we wait. While we do that, our natural tendency is to take out our phones and consume even more data, but this is not going to help us! On the contrary, there’s an ancient wisdom called the via negativa that asserts that when we approach God, we do it by denying ourselves and removing distracting things from our lives. In the same way you would remove shrubbery from a path to somewhere you need to go, you can and should remove the barriers between you & the Lord.

Friend, in times of spiritual desperation and loneliness, God calls you to pursue solitude and silence. Though it is counterintuitive and it takes more effort than any “quick fix,” it is the only place your heart can truly find rest. When you purpose in your mind to seek Him until you find Him, only then will genuine peace, connection, and breakthrough come. It takes discipline and determination, but spending time alone with Jesus is what you were made for; when you do it, your life will flourish! Isn’t that great news?