“At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.” Luke 4.42-44
Personality indicators identify two distinct types: introverts and extroverts. Introverts gain energy from being alone; extroverts gain it from being with others. Most of us lean one way or the other but share characteristics of both.
As primarily an introvert, I identify with Jesus retreating to a solitary place. Mark 1:35 recounts Jesus going to a lonely place by himself to pray. No sooner had he arrived, made his coffee, opened his Bible, and taken a selfie (just kidding, of course), than he was interrupted. People demanded his time, energy, and effort. And Jesus, wishing he had more time alone with the Father in prayer, said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God… this is why I was sent.” So he continued preaching in the synagogues.
John Wesley is said to have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles on horseback. This is insane to me. He preached thousands of sermons, surely repeating many, proclaiming the gospel on the hillsides of England and, through Bishops Asbury and Coke, in America. Wesley is just one great preacher who tirelessly proclaimed the gospel day in and day out.
The challenge for me is doing the work of the Lord while finding moments of rest, solitude, and silence. I can physically be with people all day long, but after a while, my spirit and emotions need a refresh—not just for my sake but to refocus on the mission. Consider this: Jesus spent time with God not only to be renewed but to regain and repurpose his mission. How do we know? Because when interrupted, he declared the very thing God laid on his heart: “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom.”
Time with God not only renews our physical bodies but excites our souls, igniting a heart for God. Time with the Father inspires and reminds us to be all we can be by his grace and for his glory.
I write this alone, except for some annoying dogs, on my back porch at my house, which I now visit only once or twice every few weeks. I am in a season of travel, ministry, mission, and sending. I am helping build the kingdom by inviting students and calling people to join me in loving, following, and serving Jesus. In just a moment, I will get up, hop in my truck, and do it all again for the glory of God.
But I won’t be alone. He will be with me. He who is with me in my alone time rides with me—or I with Him—as I preach the gospel, the good news, so people might be set free from sin and find life, hope, and peace in Jesus Christ.
“O Lord God, it is a glorious burden. I think of men like John and Charles Wesley, who committed to preaching and songwriting for the church, who traveled miles and miles and left a legacy from which I benefit today. I pray, God, that you might use me to become more like them, more like you, in the joy of living, serving, and proclaiming the kingdom. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me with your power and might. For you are good, and your love endures forever.” Amen.