Thursday, June 15, 2017

The Serenity of Solitude Is Not Lonely


It’s hard to hear God through the clanging cymbals of this world and the beating drums in your brain. You need a mental and physical place and time of respite and solace.

June’s Awakening, Day 15

Our language has wisely sensed the two sides of being alone. It has created the word “loneliness” to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word “solitude” to express the glory of being alone.

 —Paul Tillich  

True religion disposes persons to be much alone in solitary places for holy meditation and prayer.

 —Jonathan Edwards  

There are many who live in the mountains and behave as if they were in the town, and they are wasting their time. It is possible to be a solitary in one’s mind while living in a crowd, and it is possible for one who is a solitary to live in the crowd of his own thoughts.

 —Amma Syncletica  



When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. Matthew 14:13 NIV



Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35 NIV



But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16 NIV 



            Solitude. The spiritual discipline of solitude is not being alone and lonely. It is a willful choice to mentally and/or physically escape not only the busyness and clutter of the world around us, but of our own mind’s clutter too. We all suffer somewhat from “hurry sickness,” especially in today’s high-tech world, where we constantly try to accomplish more in progressively diminishing available time. The greatest danger in this is that we become so distracted, rushed, and preoccupied with the busyness that we settle for a mediocre spirituality and faith or very little at all. This is a choice of priorities that each of us must make. Busyness does not equate to a higher quality of life or productivity, in fact, it is often detrimental to our entire well-being.

            The practice of solitude begins with a state of mind that cultivates a silence and a patient and peaceful slowing—a place in the mind, if you will, where you can meet God with a serenity and tranquility at a moment’s notice. The more you can frequent this place in the mind, the greater the benefits of having calm in the midst of the storm and of hearing the still small voice of the Divine Whisper. Solitude is about being still in the presence of the Lord and listening intently to what He has to say.

            It is also helpful to have a place of solitude to escape the busyness with quiet prayer and meditation, just as Jesus so often did. If God-in-the-flesh deemed it so important to escape the crowds and be alone with the Father, how much more important do you think that is for us? Solitude is also a time of quiet rest, a collection of your thoughts, and reflection upon past, present, and future. It’s a time to strengthen inner peace, reaffirm His direction for your life, and refocus your energies. Times of solitude can be moments, hours, days, or sabbaticals, whichever fits the current need best, but brief moments should be practiced routinely. Approach solitude like the requirement for sleep—without it you would soon succumb and cease to exist.

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