Time spent with family and our church friends is necessary and beneficial.
Yet there are times we need to leave them behind and get alone with God.
What does it mean to us to be alone with God?
- To always be surrounded by others drains our strength. We have to be alone to regain consciousness of who we are and our purpose. In our aloneness we sense our weakness and dependence on God. We need time alone to maintain our Christian life and to renew our power to influence men for God.
- When we are alone with God we face spiritual realities. We withdraw from things that are seen to things that are unseen. We yield ourselves to the power of the heavenly realm and allow it to work in us. We consider the power of God: how he overcame the evil world and how we also can live free from sin in the power of God. In this time spent in God’s presence we are transformed and conformed to His likeness.
- In our time alone with God, we are refreshed in spirit. We meditate on His word taking it into our minds and spirit. We receive strength to witness to others of His goodness we have experienced after we have spent time alone with God.
- To be alone with God is a privilege. We examine ourselves and ask for his wisdom and strength. He imparts to us all that His Word means and gives guidance and direction to our lives. He works in a moment of time, but it takes us awhile to lay off cares and burdens and allow Him time to work in us as we wait on Him alone.
Our flesh is always in a hurry irritated and agitated by daily life. It takes time alone with God to lay our flesh aside and become quiet and calm before Him. We master our flesh and its tendency to rule our time, when we enter into our prayer closet and close the door. I am reminded of this song we used to sing:
Shut in with God in a secret place.
There in the spirit beholding His face.
Gaining new power to run in this race.
I love to be shut in with God.
Step out of this world and into eternity. Take time to be alone with God.
~Cheryl Craft