Solitude Isn’t Escape — It’s Preparation

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Exodus 34:28–29 (ESV)

“So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights… And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai… Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.”

Matthew 4:1, 17 (ESV)

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

Both Moses and Jesus intentionally withdraw from people to meet with God. Moses goes outside the camp to the tent of meeting; Jesus is led into the wilderness. These places of solitude are not escapes from responsibility but spaces of preparation before public ministry.

Both remain there forty days and forty nights, a number repeatedly associated in Scripture with testing, purification, and preparation. In the quiet, distractions fall away, dependence on God is sharpened, and identity is clarified.

When Moses returns, his face is radiant—God’s glory visibly reflected in him. When Jesus returns, His ministry begins—God’s kingdom visibly revealed through Him. Time spent with God produces transformation that cannot be hidden. God’s presence leaves a mark.

Solitude with God is not about running from life; it is about being shaped for it. When I intentionally step away from noise, expectations, and constant input, I create space for God to speak, refine, and prepare me for what comes next.

Time in God’s presence changes me—sometimes quietly, sometimes visibly—but always meaningfully. As I learn to know God more deeply, His character begins to “rub off” on me. Others may notice greater peace, clarity, patience, or courage—not because I strive for it, but because I have been with Him.

Instead of viewing solitude as absence or inactivity, I can embrace it as God’s workshop—where He prepares me to reflect Him to the world.

Prayer - 

Lord, I want to work for You and reflect You to others. Help me to intentionally find places of solitude where I can rely on You, get to know You more deeply, and trust in You alone. Shape me in Your presence so that I may reflect You to those around me. Amen.

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