Devotional: God is Preparing You in Your Silent Season to Depend on Him

Reading the New Testament, two passage have stuck out to me in how amazingly Jesus seeks alone time with God. Right after He gets baptized by John the Baptist and completes His first day of miracles. The next early morning, Jesus first seeks a quiet place alone to pray to God. There’s no waiting. There’s no hesitation. He put His fellowship with God first.

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” Mark 1:35

When Jesus feeds the multitude, I always missed how that miracle even came to be. I’ve heard it being preached countless times, yet I never knew that Jesus was seeking time alone after He received news of John the Baptist tragically dying. He was beheaded in prison for simply speaking the gospel. Only this time he offended the king and his wife, which eventually led to his death.

“So he [the king] sent and had John beheaded in prison.” Matthew 14:10. “When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.” Verse 13

I wonder what Jesus must have been going through emotionally that led him to seek time alone? Grief… Despair… Although He is God, He was also made human and just lost a mentor-like figure—for a lack of better words—the man that anointed Him into His journey of healing, teaching and performing miracles. (Although John the Baptist did not teach Jesus, for He is already perfect in wisdom and knowledge, he, being John, opened the gate to the legacy of Jesus we read about today.) Just for us to understand the proximity of Jesus’ relationship with John the Baptist, I wonder how it would’ve felt to tragically lose a mentor.

Before Jesus has time to grieve, meditate or pray, the multitude follows Him and this is where the miracle of feeding the 5,000 people not including women or children are fed with two fish and five loaves of bread. We read that they were full and still had 12 baskets left over. So Jesus provided in abundance of what seemed to be of lack.

“But when the multitudes heard it [Jesus departing], they followed Him on foot from the cities.

And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.”

When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.’

But Jesus said the them, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’

And they said to Him, ‘We have here only five loaves and two fish.’

He said, ‘Bring them here to Me.’ Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.

So they all ate and were filled,

and they took up twelves baskets full of the fragments that remained.

Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.” Matthew 14:13-20

What strikes me more in this passage is how Jesus was moved with compassion to heal the multitude before feeding them. Even during His potential personal emotional turmoil. He did not feed them out of duty or distain, but from a compassionate heart. How amazing is it that one can put their personal issues aside, which understandably requires self-care and mourning, and still have the compassion to serve others…

Even more, His disciples wanted to send the multitudes away so they could eat in the city, yet Jesus performs a miracle after miracles. He creates fellowship and community among the multitude. All the while Jesus has not potentially processed the loss of a loved one.

The reason why I say this is because after the feast, He sends the multitudes and the disciples away. So alone in the dark, in the woods, He finally is able to pray to God.

“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.

Now when evening came, He was alone there.” Matthew 14:22-23

He does not loose sight of taking care of His wounds as we often may forget to deal with our own emotions.

Have you ever drowned yourself in work to avoid dealing with an emotional pain? Maybe after a divorce? Or similarly to Jesus, the loss of a loved one? Yes, Jesus has compassion to help others during His time of loss, but remember He first seeked to be alone, but was followed. And after performing the miracles, He immediately continued to seek time alone with God.

God will rejuvenate you; give you strength that is not yours. And He will heal you of all of your afflictions if you let Him.

"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord," Jeremiah 30:17

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

"Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." Psalm 103:2-3

And so, these two passages from Mark and Matthew highlight Jesus’ dependence on God. Never getting lost in His purpose, although God given. Immediately after Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, it says “the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan… and the angels ministered to Him.” Mark 1:13. It was during this time of fellowship and time alone with God before He begun His journey of performing miracles that has prepared Jesus to depend on personal fellowship with God no matter the highs or lows of serving His purpose. We too can learn to have this child-like dependence on God. And may we also find hope during our own silent seasons that God is training us to depend on His goodness when we finally breakthrough into seasons of blessing and abundance.

Prayer for a Child-like Dependence on God

Dear heavenly Father, thank You so much for leading me into today’s devotional and leading every single person who has read and been touched by the teachings of Jesus Christ. May we strive to be more like Jesus, not because we can reach perfection, but because we desire a closer relationship with You God. Teach us all, during our own personal times of slow seasons. Let us overcome our doubts and arrogance during this downturn in our lives. Let us submit to Your guidance and we hold Your hand to lead us step by step out of own wilderness. Ingrain in us a child-like dependence on You, Father so that we don’t ever forget to come back to You—not for public accolade, but in our secret place. No matter the high’s of life, which we are believing in You to bring, let us be like Jesus and still dwell with You in our time alone. During the stresses of the high tide, may we remember who has brought us into blessed seasons and remain diligent in seeking time alone with You still. Let us not get lost in the blessings You will bring to us. But trust that in all things You are preparing us for a God-given laser focus to stay on the course of Your will for our lives. For in due time, seasons will change and we will reap the harvest according to our own ability. You are our God, the Great Deliverer, the Redeemer of our lives. May we glorify and honor You in all things present and future.

In Jesus name,

Amen

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About the Author: Coach Dee

Deborah Park, known as Coach Dee, is the owner of Drip Training LLC and an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach with a background in architecture and kinesiology from the University of Virginia. With years of experience in physical therapy settings and fitness coaching, Coach Dee pairs her expertise with a steadfast commitment to honoring God in her work. Her faith is the foundation of her approach, helping individuals strengthen their bodies and renew their minds through biblical principles and disciplined action.

Coach Dee’s perspective is shaped by her own testimony of perseverance, including recovery from a life-altering car accident that led to PTSD and chronic pain. She now encourages others to overcome their trials by leaning on God's Word and His unwavering promises. Through her writing and coaching, she seeks to inspire readers to pursue strength, resilience, and a deeper relationship with Christ as they navigate life’s challenges.