Do as He Did: Pray What Jesus Prayed SOLITUDE DEFINED: The intentional practice of stepping away from distraction in order to be fully present with the Father. 3 Reasons Jesus Prayed in Solitude: To receive . Mark 1:35–38 (NLT) Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’ But Jesus replied, 'We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came'". Luke 6:12-13 (NLT) One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. 13 At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. To resist . Mark 6:45–46 (NLT) 45 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46 After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. To submit to . Mark 14:32–36,39 (NLT) 32 They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” 33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. 34 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 35 He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36 “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”… 39 Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. Gospel Truth — We imitate Jesus’ prayer life not to plead for acceptance, but to access the acceptance Jesus paid for. What Now? Let solitude prayer cultivate your honest submission. Continuing the Conversation 1. Why might solitude prayer often lead people to more clarity on their direction or decisions? 2. What distractions make it hard for you to pray the way Jesus did? 3. How does Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane reshape your understanding of ‘honest submission’ prayer? Mark 14:32–39 (NLT) 4. What is one concrete way you can imitate Jesus’ practice of solitude this week?