Slipping Away With Jesus – Following Jesus from the Edges –

Walking with Jesus

Slipping Away With Jesus

Pastor Calvin Cook

August 11, 2026  Day 25 of 40

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:8–12; John 15:4–5; Mark 1:35

“We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed.”—2 Corinthians 4:8

I first want to apologize for my absence over the last couple days. My absence was certainly not an absence from God but more so a centering for my own soul and several situations that I was dealing with that just needed me to focus on Jesus, the teaching of scripture, and the move of the Holy Spirit. I was still writing, still praying, still seeking God will and deliverance from the evil and the enemy that seemed armed for battle.

There are seasons when life seems to press in from every direction. Difficult issues demand our attention. Responsibilities multiply. The noise grows louder, and the to-do list becomes much easier to see than the blessing list—or the evidence that God is already working.

In those moments, we face a choice. We can live as victims of the battle, allowing pressure, disappointment, and fear to define us. Or we can live from the victory we already have through knowing Jesus.

Paul did not deny the reality of suffering. He was pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. Yet none of those things had the final word. The life of Jesus was still being revealed through him. The battle was real, but so was the sustaining presence of Christ.

Jesus tells us that the secret to such endurance is not found in trying harder. It is found in remaining: “Abide in Me.” A branch does not produce fruit by struggling. It produces fruit by staying connected to the vine. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing of lasting value; with Him, even our hardest seasons can bear fruit.

I recently experienced a time when many things were pressing in from all sides. My list of responsibilities seemed larger than my list of blessings, and it was difficult to recognize where God was working. I expected Him to call me toward solutions, strategies, and outcomes.

As recently as yesterday and even what is before me today when I was expecting solutions God called me to prayer and fasting. He called me back to a personal encounter with Jesus.

Following the example of Jesus in Mark 1:35, I slipped away. I didn’t leave for a mountain, or into any great cathedral – I just was with Jesus where I was because where I am Jesus is as well.

One of the powerful things that happened was that surrounded by people close to me I was prayed over. Different for me, I am usually the one that prays over others, but I became the prayed over and experienced release. I’m thankful for the one who spoke boldly and those of one mind and Spirit that prayed.

The prayer, the power, and the presence of the Holy Spirit was felt. As one of the events of the day unfolded. Amid all the screaming, all the demands, and all the noise, I simply sat in the presence of Jesus. I did not arrive with all the answers. I did not leave with every problem solved. But I experienced something greater: the comfort of being with Him.

In His presence, the pressure began to loosen its grip. The need to control every outcome gave way to trust. The battle no longer felt like my identity because I was reminded that I belong to the One who has already secured the victory.

Sometimes the most faithful response to everything pressing in is not to press back. Sometimes it is to slip away—to pray, to fast, to listen, and to abide.

This is not running away from our responsibilities. It is returning to the One who gives us strength to face them. We withdraw with Jesus so that we can move forward with Jesus.

Because I slipped away, I now feel a release. I can move forward with all my heart—not because every difficulty has disappeared, but because I have been with Jesus. His presence has renewed my perspective, steadied my spirit, and reminded me that I am not alone. And here is something for you to know – Neither are you alone.

When the battle becomes loud, do not let it convince you that you are defeated. Slip away with Jesus. Remain in Him. Let His presence become your greatest comfort and His victory become the place from which you live.

Am I living as a victim of the battle, or from the victory I have in Jesus? What noise, responsibility, or fear is making it difficult for me to recognize God at work?

Where can I make room today to slip away and simply be with Jesus?

Prayer

Jesus, when life presses in from every side, help me remember that I am not crushed, abandoned, or defeated. Forgive me for focusing more on my burdens than on Your presence. Teach me to slip away from the noise and abide in You. Help me release my need for immediate solutions and trust what You are doing in the unseen places. Renew my heart through prayer, fasting, and time alone with You. Then give me strength to rise and move forward wholeheartedly—not as a victim of the battle, but as one who lives in the victory of knowing You. Amen.