The Practice of Solitude
How would you describe the word “solitude”? Is it something you practice?
Verse of the Day
“Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.”
Today’s Devotional
Something happened to me (or in me) a couple of years ago. I read a book called “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” and it changed something in me. It made me want to live a life of peace, in an unhurried way. This was the way Jesus lived. He was never in a hurry or stressed.
Then, at the beginning of 2024 I read through all of my prayer journals from 2023. One of the things that stood out to me was a repeated invitation from God to practice silence and solitude. And then in 2024, my church did a series on spiritual disciplines, which included practicing silence and solitude.
In my experience, when God is trying to teach me something or get me to take a step of obedience, the invitation is given repeatedly from many different sources. And also in my experience, it takes time for me to take consistent steps of obedience. I have not consistently practiced silence and solitude simply because it is hard, and because I don’t feel like I’m good at it. However, there is something said by the teaching pastor at my church that I really believe is true:
“There is some knowing of God that can only happen in the quiet place.”
Jesus frequently went away to be alone with the Father. There are many verses in the Bible about being silent before the Lord. I am confessing that I have been slow to be consistently obedient in sitting in silence with the Father. And I am admitting my desire and willingness to incorporate the habit of intentional silence and solitude into my spiritual routine. Because of all this, we are going to study silence and solitude together.
If you asked me to describe the word “solitude”, I would have said that it is the state of being alone, of not having any other humans around. While this might be technically true, it is not an accurate description of solitude with regard to our spiritual disciplines. In today’s verse, we see Jesus inviting the disciples “go off by ourselves” to a “quiet place”. Richard Foster, the author of Celebration of Discipline, says that silence and solitude go hand in hand.
As I was just beginning to study this topic, a friend posted something online that helped me grasp this topic. “Silence is shutting my mouth in order to hear God. Solitude is shutting the world’s mouth to hear God.” I have to do whatever is necessary to shut down the noise in order to hear God, and in order in to simply practice becoming aware of His presence. The “noise” comes from many sources, both internally and externally.
Solitude, then, is intentionally seeking time alone with the Father that is quiet. I then use this time to focus on God. I can be alone but have the TV on in the background. This would not be practicing the discipline of solitude.
Richard Foster, in the book Celebration of Discipline, describes solitude in a way that makes me desperate to practice. He says,
- Without silence there is no solitude. Though silence sometimes involves the absence of speech, it always involves the act of listening. Simply to refrain from talking, without a heart listening to God, is not silence.
- We must understand the connection between inner solitude and inner silence; they are inseparable. We must come to understand and experience the transforming power of silence if we are to know solitude.
- If we possess inward solitude we do not fear being alone, for we know that we are not alone. Neither do we fear being with others, for they do not control us.
- The purpose of silence and solitude is to be able to see and hear.
- One reason we can hardly bear to remain silent is that it makes us feel so helpless. We are so accustomed to relying upon words to manage and control others. If we are silent, who will take control? God will take control, but we will never let him take control until we trust him. Silence is intimately related to trust.
I desperately want a heart that is attentive and listening for God. I want to be able to see and hear whatever God wants me to see and hear. I want to learn to trust God enough to practice sitting silently before Him, whether that time feels “productive” or not.
In today’s verse, Jesus invites his disciples to “go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” I believe that invitation from Jesus is being extended to each of us today. He’s inviting us to step away from the busyness of our lives to sit quietly with the Father so that we can rest. And be loved. And learn about the Father who is pursuing us.
Is this an invitation we are willing to accept? For today, are you willing to set down your phone and computer, turn off any music or TV, shut off all the noise, and just hang out with God for a few minutes? Yes, your mind will wander. That’s normal. Yes, it might feel awkward. That’s normal too. But what might the Father have to teach us in the quiet place?
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
What does solitude mean for you?
How does being inundated with noise affect you?
What would it look like for you to be intentionally alone and quiet? How do you think that would feel?
Holy Spirit, what do want me to know today about being silent before the Father?