31 for 31 Challenge / Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16

35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he (Jesus) departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. (Luke 5:16)

One pattern we see Christ living out in Scripture is consistent time alone with the Lord. Jesus spent time alone in prayer during busy seasons, before major decisions, and after times of intense ministry. Throughout the Gospels, it says that Jesus often pulled back from the noise, got quiet before God, and spent time with Him. 

Let’s be honest: in our busy lives, that is often hard to do. Deadlines have to be met, our kids keep us busy, social media distracts us – and as a result, if we are not careful, we will have very few times of silent reflection with the Lord. 

So – I want to invite you to join me in the 31 for 31 Challenge.

For the 31 days of July, commit to spending at least 31 minutes alone with Jesus. Set an alarm for 31 minutes on your phone, put your phone in another room where you will still be able to hear it go off, and fully focus on being present in HIS presence.

Take that time to read through a proverb, journal out a prayer, make a prayer list and pray through it, or just sit silently before Him. There are many ways that time can be used – the key is to spend it in solitude with your Savior. 

31 minutes for 31 days. Seem doable? If so, let’s commit to stepping away from the noise and seeking God’s face together.

Excited to hear what all God is going to do!

Blessings, 

Pastor Dave 

FYI – we are going to take a “summer break” from the blog until September. We are praying for you and hope this 31 for 31 Challenge will kickstart a beautiful season with Christ!