Necessary Isolation

Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while. Mark 6:31

There are times when God has to call us away from EVERYTHING and EVERYONE into a time of NEEDED isolation.

A lot of us despise the word isolation because it carries such a negative connotation. It often has a sense of punishment or correction attached to it. It has a sense of dread that surrounds it.

But in Mark 6:31, Jesus called the disciples OUT OF the busyness. He called them away from the hustle and bustle, telling them it was time to be separated. They needed a TIME OUT to clear their minds. It was time to step away from all of the people and the pressures that were pulling on them.

Are you feeling pressed, pressured, pulled, or pushed? Are you trying to be all things to several people? Do you need to hang up your superhero cape for a moment so you can breathe? Are you bombarded by situations that are causing stress, anxiety, and worry? Are you tired, weary, and even frustrated by what’s going on or NOT going on in your life?

ISOLATE: To set apart. Sometimes we just need to be set apart for a time of refreshing, renewing, and reflecting.

I like the image above because we can tend to think of a time of isolation as being in a box with no windows. It’s dark, confined, and closed off. But I like this glass bottle. Yes, you are separated and are set apart, but you can still see some things.

Listen with your spiritual ears!

Sometimes God has to separate us so we can SEE some people’s ACTIONS without being able to hear their words. You will catch that one later if you didn’t get it. When you SEE what’s REALLY happening, you can make a sound decision, without your ears being tickled! Sometimes we are just too close to the fire and we have to be separated to see just how messy or dangerous something/someone truly is; without being able to put our hands on it. Seeing it from a TRUE and HONEST perspective often helps us realize that we are in over our heads. We can’t fix or change it and we DESPERATELY need God! Being too close can cause us to FALSELY believe we can handle it. could handle it.

Can I get an amen?

A time of NEEDED isolation is what we make it. We can make it a miserable time or we can allow it to be a time of renewal. A time of receiving from God. Receiving strength, wisdom, strategy, and courage.

The next time Jesus calls you to go alone to a quiet place with Him, change your perspective and be DETERMINED to come out of there with everything you need!