Jesus Christ provides us with the model for practicing solitude. Of Jesus, Luke writes, "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:16) Here's a simple definition of solitude: getting alone with God in the absence of noise and distraction. Solitude is getting alone with God. Solitude is not simply getting alone. It's getting alone with God. In solitude, we go out to spend time with God alone. Solitude is neither loneliness, nor the hermit lifestyle of isolation. Solitude only has meaning in the context of relationships. The deeper any relationship, the greater our need is for alone time with that person. If you're married, think back on the days when you were wooing your wife-to-be. Remember all the time you spent alone with her? When you were dating the woman you married, you had a lot to talk about. No doubt you held hands strolling through a park or on a beach simply enjoying each other's company-alone. You continually sought time to spend with each other alone. In a healthy marriage, we want to continue spending time alone with each other. Also, as a dad we need to spend time alone with each of our children. We can have meaningful conversations and establish a depth of relationship in those alone times that is not possible with others present. This same principle holds true in our relationship with God. We need solitude or alone time with God in order to deepen our relationship with him. I would go so far as to say that without solitude with God our relationship with him will remain superficial. We will never know him to the extent that he wants us to.