Time Alone is Okay!

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Time Alone is Okay!

Luke 9:18 “[Jesus] was alone, praying, with his disciples nearby…” (TLB).

Some of us may think that we should wait to rest until everyone else is satisfied or preoccupied. When our spouses go on a business trip, after the children are in bed, if no one in our Sunday School class needs us, when all the extra office work is done — then we consider taking time for ourselves.

Yet, Jesus did not wait until his disciples were on the road, or resting for the night, or visiting relatives, to take time to be alone. With his staff nearby he went off by himself. We are not being selfish, unhealthy, or imbalanced when we occasionally take time away from our friends and families to be refreshed.

We can give ourselves permission to take solitary mini-retreats — perhaps to watch a fire in the fireplace, enjoy a sunset, drive in the country, kneel in prayer, or write in our journals. We need not give to someone else twenty-four hours of every day. Sometimes we can give to ourselves.

Lord, please give me the courage

to follow your lead and take some time to be alone.

Joan C. Webb