Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.
-Mark 7:24
In order for us to maintain spiritual health, a balance must be struck between time with others and time by ourselves. There is a time for us to be around other people and in their company, but there are also times when we need to be alone. We can worship together, but we also realize that we need time to worship God as intimates - just God and I. The same is true with prayer. What a blessing it is to pray with and in the company of fellow believers. But we also know that there is great power is seeking God out in those quiet moments alone. We truly need contact with other people. Spiritual health will involve maintaining healthy relationships with other people from whom we can find encouragement and agreement. If I spent all of my time with people whose beliefs were in opposition to mine that would be very exhausting. I can spend some time with such persons, but I prefer to spend quality time with people that will encourage me in what I believe and what I am doing. I in turn can do the same for them.
Jesus showed us a clear example of the importance of spending time alone with God in prayer. The Lord modeled for us, His followers, what a vibrant prayer life looks like. Yet, He also demonstrated the importance of maintaining healthy interactions with others. Keeping this balance can mean the difference between spiritual defeat and spiritual victory. Trust the Lord daily to keep us focused upon our own spiritual needs as well as the needs of those around us.
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