Tip of My Iceberg

We often do things backward. During Spring Break, many from up north come down to Florida to grab some sunshine and warmth before heading back to the tail end of winter and questionable spring.

For our Spring Break, our family headed north to Pennsylvania, where the temperatures were in the 30’s and 40’s. We had sun some days, but it was cold. But when you’re with family, you warm up quickly to the fun and laughter.

I’m an early riser, so I decided to take a walk alone in the brisk Pennsylvania morning air.

The sun hadn’t fully risen, and the roads were quiet. It’s not like the traffic in Orlando, where cars pepper the streets at all hours of the day. I heard the songs of birds that were so clear in the crisp morning that it sounded like they were serenading just me. I appreciated the warbles, chittering, and tweets of the birds that filled the trees.

I don’t find myself alone that often. I haven’t been one to enjoy my own company very much, but I’m learning what a gift it is to have physical and head space to think and be. As I walked the roads, I smiled and waved at the few cars that passed.

I was quite surprised to see that they each smiled and waved back. That would not be my experience in Orlando.

I’m drawn to people, partly because I enjoy others’ company and partly because my own company doesn’t always feel satisfying.

It’s amazing how the quiet can soothe nerves and calm anxiety. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, and I hadn’t realized I was holding it in till I went for my walk. It was as if I took a deep breath, filled my lungs, and exhaled with a sense of space.

There was a freshness in the day, a beauty in the quiet that allowed my thoughts to flow. I enjoyed the moment. As much as I love people–especially my family–it was a pleasant surprise to be able to enjoy my time alone.

Jesus did that often, finding time to be by Himself. He filled His days with ministering to others, and being alone with His Father was important to Him. “Now, at this time, Jesus went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” Luke 12:13. This was a time when He was making a big decision about whom He’d select as His disciples. Another time, after spending the entire day healing people, He also made time to be alone. “As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.” Luke 5:16

Many will question why Jesus needed time alone if He really was God. Didn’t He have supernatural strength to keep going? He was both 100 percent God and 100 percent human. He needed to be both so He would be the perfect payment for all the wrongs we’ve done, to understand all that we go through, and to have compassion for our own challenges and weaknesses.

We all need space to think clearly, focus without distraction, and separate our thoughts from others. Time for prayer is good—an opportunity to talk to God about all that’s on our minds and hearts.

It’s an aloneness that’s filled with His presence.

Chosen aloneness is never lonely.