Why You Need Spend Time with Jesus Outside
Our question today is:
“Why should YOU be spending time in the great outdoors with Jesus?”
⬇ Watch this video or continue reading below a detailed perspective ⬇
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Reason #3 – Research shows it’s good for you.
Scientific studies confirm what many intuitively sense: that nature has real benefits for your mental and emotional health.
For example, a large U.S. study (NHANES, 2011-2018) of 9,000 adults found that those who spend more time outdoors have about 51% lower risk of depression compared to those who don’t.
“Methods: Using data from the NHANES 2011-2018 survey, we analyzed 9,036 adults aged 20 years and older. Participants self-reported their outdoor activity time and depressive symptoms. Statistical analysis, accounting for various demographic and lifestyle factors, was employed to assess the relationship between outdoor activity and depression risk.
Results: Spending more time outdoors was associated with a 51% lower risk of depression (odds ratio: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.40-0.64). Subgroup analysis revealed that this association was particularly pronounced among adults aged 40 and older, as well as non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks.
Conclusion: Encouraging outdoor activities may represent an effective public health strategy to reduce depression risk, particularly among middle-aged and older adults and specific ethnic populations.”
Ref 1: Liu K, Guo C, Xie J, Cheng L. Outdoor activity time and depression risk among adults aged 40 years and older: a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2011-2018 data. Front Psychol. 2025 Jan 22;16:1506168. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1506168. PMID: 39911994; PMCID: PMC11794181.
I just love a graph where the “Depression scale scores” go down over time, don’t you?
Couldn’t you use a little of that today?
If that isn’t good enough news, the Mayo Clinic reports that even short doses count. Research also shows that sessions in nature between 20-90 minutes are especially effective at reducing stress and improving well-being.
Ref 2: Coventry PA, Brown JE, Pervin J, Brabyn S, Pateman R, Breedvelt J, Gilbody S, Stancliffe R, McEachan R, White PL. Nature-based outdoor activities for mental and physical health: Systematic review and meta-analysis. SSM Popul Health. 2021 Oct 1;16:100934. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100934. PMID: 34646931; PMCID: PMC8498096.
One important note: “The most effective interventions were offered for between 8 and 12 weeks,”(2) meaning that these were short doses of nature-based interventions done over a long period of time, which is the way we develop new habits.
In 20 minutes, you could have a sunrise Bible devotional while sitting on your porch, and 90 minutes is a great length for a hike with a friend where you pray together.
Get out there and build up a new healthy rhythm!
The #2 Reason – God shows up in the wilderness.
A couple of years ago, I came across this quote from Jamie S. Kohngold, in his book God in the Wilderness: Rediscovering the Spirituality of the Great Outdoors with the Adventure Rabbi.
“Throughout the Bible, theophany (God appearing to humans) does not solely occur in the wilderness, but it usually does.”
There are these epic stories of God meeting with Moses, Elijah, and even Jesus in wilderness environments.
Not only did God meet with people central to the story of the Bible, but also He makes Himself known through the way in which He designed the world, and we can
“For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made]”
And I especially love how Psalm 19 connects the ways that God reveals Himself generally (through His creation) with His word, where he reveals Himself specifically.
“The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.”
There’s something about withdrawal away from civilization, simplifying life for a devoted period of time, and turning our attention to God.
It could be that God’s voice is louder out there, but I think it’s really that we turn down the noise of our busy lives when we make the choice to spend time outside with Him.
In the outdoors we can:
Gain eye-opening perspective like Psalm 8 talks about,
Process through past or present things happening in our lives,
Deepen our community with other people,
Slow down enough to really hear from God,
Challenge your mind, body, and soul
And that’s why at SUMMIT, we call wilderness areas the greatest classroom ever created!”
That brings us to #1 reason you should be spending time with God outdoors…
#1 — Jesus modeled it.
The best reason of all: Jesus did it.
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
There are multiple examples recorded in the Gospels of Jesus seeking connection with God the Father by praying in the wilderness, and the 40 days He spent in the wilderness before His ministry began was vital for preparing Him for what was ahead.
If it was vital for the Author and Perfector of our Faith, it’s vital for us too.
Plus, He demonstrated and taught this spiritual discipline to His disciples! In more than one occasion, Jesus told His disciples to withdraw and pray.
One time, after they had served hundreds of people, he told them to actually pause “doing ministry,” leave the crowds behind, and sail their boat across a lake, whereupon, He guided them through an “experiential learning exercise” (that’s a little tongue-in-cheek 😉, but it tracks) to learn to trust Him even in the wind and waves.
If Jesus spent time with God in the wilderness, why aren’t we? Let’s go, Church!
I Challenge You!
“So, this week: try this with me. Pick one time to step outdoors — maybe 20 minutes in a park, or just a walk in your neighborhood — bring your Bible or simply pray with eyes open to creation. Let Him meet you there.
We do monthly meet-ups to help people build the habit. In October we’re doing a half-day kayaking trip, in November, we’ll be back to the local hike series. If you’re ready to dive deeper, come join us on one of our Pockets of Wilderness or Backpacking Biblical Wilderness Courses!
OK, hope to see you out there!
Bryan Turner,
Executive Director & Lead Guide
Summit Outdoor Leadership prepares people for purpose through Truth, Adventure, & Leadership.
Our desire is to work alongside local churches to “equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:11-16) in a way that is engaging, effective, and sticks long-term. If you’d like to try our experiential learning model at an indoor or outdoor training event for your community, drop us a line here ↓
