Jesus Prayed Alone: Making Prayer a Priority

There’s something striking about how often the Gospels mention Jesus praying alone. It wasn’t just before major miracles or during times of crisis—it was often. Repeatedly. Intentionally.

He withdrew. He stepped away from the crowd, even from His own disciples, to talk with His Father.

And if Jesus—the Son of God—needed time alone with the Father, how much more do we?

A young man sits on a mossy boulder in a forest clearing, facing distant misty mountains with the text “Wilderness Moments – Sometimes, you need to get away to pray.” — Wilderness Moments – When Jesus needed clarity, He went to the wilderness. Sometimes, so should we.

A Pattern Worth Following

Scripture paints a clear picture. Here are just a few examples of Jesus prioritizing solitary prayer:

Mark 1:35 – “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”
Luke 5:16 – “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”
Luke 6:12 – “One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.”

This was not a one-time moment. It was a lifestyle. Jesus made a regular practice of seeking quiet moments to talk to His Father. His prayer life wasn’t squeezed into the margins; it was central to everything He did.

A smartphone on an airport seat displays a voicemail notification with the message “Call me when you land,” evoking themes of love, connection, and spiritual communication. — “Call Me When You Land” – A reminder that God longs to hear from us, not as a last resort, but as our first move.

Consistent and Intentional

I’ll be real with you: this convicts me. My prayer life can feel inconsistent. Sporadic. More like a fire alarm I pull when things go wrong than a daily rhythm I build my life around.

But I want that to change. I want prayer to become such a regular part of my day that it feels weird when I skip it. I want prayer to be my oxygen, not my backup plan.

As I study Jesus, I see a pattern of consistency. And that consistency wasn’t legalistic—it was relational. It wasn’t about saying the right words at the right time. It was about staying connected to the Father.

A few months after my wife Wendy passed away, I found five old voicemails from her. Oddly enough, each one was from a different business trip I had taken—and each one said the exact same thing:
“As soon as you land, call me.”
The funny part is, calling her was always the first thing I did. She knew that. But still, she left the message because she wanted to hear from me. That phrase stuck with me.

And I believe our Heavenly Father feels the same way. He wants us to “call” as soon as we can. Not because He doesn’t already know where we are, but because He longs to hear from us. Just like Wendy did. Just like Jesus called out to His Father again and again.

As I listened to those messages, it was comforting to hear her voice—and it made me long for the day I’ll get to hear it again in Heaven. But when it comes to prayer, I don’t have to wait for Heaven to hear His voice. And He doesn’t have to wait to hear mine.

God is ready to listen. Right now. Wherever we are. That’s how much He loves us.

“Don’t pray when you feel like it. Make an appointment with the Lord and keep it.” – Corrie ten Boom

A man walking alone in a quiet forest trail at sunrise, with overlaid text reading “Talk to Me First.” — Talk to Me First – Start your day with the One who holds it together.

Make Prayer a Priority

Jesus didn’t let crowds, exhaustion, or ministry needs crowd out prayer. In fact, the busier He became, the more He withdrew to pray.

How often do we do the opposite? We push prayer to the back burner when life gets full. But for Jesus, prayer was the fuel for everything else.

We can learn from that.

Prayer shouldn’t be something we get to if we have time. It should be something we make time for—no matter what.

“If you are too busy to pray, you are busier than God wants you to be.” – Wanda E. Brunstetter

Think of prayer like a meeting with the most important Person in your life. You wouldn’t cancel that meeting for just anything. So don’t cancel your time with God, either.

A yellow sticky note stuck to a bathroom mirror with the handwritten message: “God says, ‘Call Me first.’” — Start your day with God—before the meetings, emails, and chaos. Talk to Him first.

Normalize Prayer as a First Response

Jesus prayed before making major decisions.
Jesus prayed while surrounded by people.
Jesus prayed in the early morning hours.
Jesus prayed when He was exhausted.
Jesus prayed on mountain tops—and in gardens filled with sorrow.
He didn’t treat prayer like an emergency brake. It was His steering wheel.

When we see how Jesus prayed, we learn that prayer isn’t just something we do in crisis—it’s how we stay connected in every moment.

If we want to follow Him, we must shift from praying occasionally to praying consistently. From praying when we remember to praying as a reflex.

Let’s become the kind of people who talk to God so regularly that it feels strange not to.

A woman whispering a prayer with eyes closed, wind blowing through her hair, against a dark, stormy backdrop with the words “Be still and know” overlayed. — Finding the voice of peace in the chaos.

Tips to Get Started

If prayer feels inconsistent in your life, here are a few simple ways to begin building the habit:

Start small. Set aside five quiet minutes in the morning or evening just to talk to God.
Schedule it. Put it on your calendar like any other important appointment.
Find a spot. Create a consistent space where you meet with God—your prayer chair, a quiet corner, even your car.
Use reminders. Set an alarm or sticky note to prompt you until it becomes natural.
Pray Scripture. Start with the Psalms or the Lord’s Prayer. Let God’s Word guide your words.
Keep a journal. Write your prayers down and reflect on what God does over time.

And when you miss a day? Don’t let guilt build a wall. Just come back. Your Father still wants to hear from you.

A triptych featuring Jesus praying, a person journaling, and hands raised in worship, with the text “CONSISTENT. INTENTIONAL. PERSONAL. Real prayer is real relationship.” — Real prayer isn’t a ritual—it’s a relationship. Make it consistent, intentional, and personal.

Want to Grow in Your Prayer Life?

📘 Check out these two books from Disciple Blueprint:

The Greater the Love, The Deeper the Grief – A heartfelt journey of faith through loss and healing.
Confessions of a Pray-er to Be Named Later – Honest reflections and lessons from a fellow struggler in prayer.

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