Spiritual Disciplines
Practicing Solitude
2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NIV)
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
God has called us to be constantly fanning the spiritual flames inside us, and it is up to us to train ourselves to make the Spiritual Disciplines part of our routine, or lifestyle.
Last week we learned what means to truly “Hear God’s Voice” in that we do not just hear, but we listen by “Receiving and Responding”.
Well today’s Spiritual Discipline is one that could almost be seen as “Part 2” of Committing to Hear God’s Voice; and that is “Practicing Solitude.”
If we look across the landscape of our fellow believers, we would most definitely see many varying degrees of spiritual growth. But if we were to examine closer those who seem to have been able to walk faithfully with the Lord for many years we would see something that the world might see as failure.
They would see that because, it is not the “Moments of Christian Glory” that have come to define them, but rather it’s finding a way to stay steadfast in the trials of life. When everything else says “quit” they have persevered having found resources of grace in ways others do not.
These people understand the value of solitude. They recognize the importance of meeting God in a quiet place. What I am not talking about are diversions. I firmly believe that we all need time to “get away” (vacation, hobbies, etc.).
The Spiritual Discipline of Solitude is a more reflective action.
Jack Hayford once said, “Solitude is being alone with the Lord in a quiet quest for God.”
So let’s examine further this Spiritual Discipline.
- Prayer
1. A Biblical Practice
Not unlike the other Spiritual Discipline’s, Practicing Solitude is an old concept. We have many examples in our bible, and all were done with the purpose of simply seeking the Lord in a solitary space.
A. Biblical Examples
Moses
Exodus 24:15-18 (NIV)
When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
We can read throughout the book of Exodus that after Moses spends 40 days and nights with the Lord he became profoundly impacting and history shaping! Ten Commandments
Elijah
Elijah is fleeing from Jezebel and in the wilderness he has an encounter with God.
1 Kings 19:11 (NIV)
The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”
God then puts on an amazing display of His power, and begins the process of rediscovery of purpose in Elijah.
David
When David flees from Saul, he composed some of the greatest and most inspiring psalms in a wilderness hideaway. This psalm was composed while fleeing from his son Absalom:
Psalm 3:8 (NIV)
From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.
John
While exiled to the island of Patmos, Jesus meets the apostle John and “reveals” to him the book of Revelation.
Revelation 1:1-2 (NIV)
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
B. Jesus’ Example
We also have many examples in the New Testament of Jesus practicing solitude:
Before Ministry
We see in Matthew 4 that Jesus inaugurates His time in ministry by spending 40 days alone in the desert. He would also retreat to a quiet place before any major event that He was going to minister in.
After Ministry
Luke 5:15-16 (NIV)
Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
I love how this verse says that Jesus not only withdrew after serving, but also did it “often”. Jesus understood the value of solitude after ministry.
Before Choosing Disciples
Luke 6:12-13 (NIV)
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles
To His Disciples
Mark 6:30-32 (NIV)
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
Jesus not only put Solitude into practice, but also made a point to pass down the importance of this practice to His Disciples.
We see these examples, and the circumstances for the practice, yet for most of us this discipline does not take much priority. And while we neglect our Practice of Solitude, we close our hearts to God’s Voice.
2. The Purpose in Practice
Practicing Solitude is a choice. Like Committing to “Hear” God’s voice, it is not something that will come passively. And when we practice solitude, we are committing to specific purposes:
A. To Quiet our Hearts
Psalm 131:2 (NLT)
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Look at the picture David is giving here. A child that has been weaned from his mother’s milk no longer cries and worries that he will not be fed. Instead, there is now a trust, a new natural way of thinking that has been instilled in the child to not worry, but to instead just expect to be fed.
As humans, we are constantly communicating. Even when we are not speaking we our non-verbal cues speak for us. Sometimes the only moment that we are silent is when we are sleeping. But when we enter into solitude, we must purposely “Quiet Our Heart”.
Why do you think silence is emphasized so greatly here? It is done so that all things that may distract from God will be removed.
When we remove the blockage of ourselves; truly remove; we find ourselves quieted and still, truly waiting for direction from God. We know that God has spoken to us in the past, and He is going to do it again! We come quieted, and expectant.
“One reason we can hardly bear to remain silent is that it makes us feel so helpless. We are so accustomed to relying on words to manage and control others. If we are silent, who will take control? God will take control.”
– Richard Foster in “Celebration of Discipline”
When we quiet our hearts in Solitude, we are relinquishing control to God. Get You Out of the Picture!
B. Wait on the Lord
Psalm 130:5-6 (NIV)
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord; more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
I’m not necessarily a light sleeper, but it does take me about 30 minutes to fall asleep. However, there are times where I just plain can’t fall asleep. Over the years of my life I’ve learned to use these moments to wait on the Lord. Whether it’s prayer, reading or just sitting in the dark waiting to hear from God, I am quieting and readying myself to hear from the Lord.
Most times I won’t be able to get to sleep until I feel like God has truly revealed something.
“More than watchmen wait…”
C. The Revelation
We recounted the many ways that God used this practice by those in biblical times for great revelation. He offers the same to you today.
Deuteronomy 4:29 (NLT)
But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.
Taught, Encouraged or Directed
I have never met someone who has had an encounter with God who has walked away unchanged.
3. Practice of Solitude
“Solitude is more a state of mind than it is a place.”
-Richard Foster in “Celebration of Discipline”
Often times we’ll hear something like Jesus and Moses taking 40 days and nights to be in solitude and think, “There’s just no way!”
Lamentations 3:25-26 (NIV)
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
The truth is that God is not unreasonable, and solitude really is attainable.
The best way of training yourself for anything is to start in small steps and work your way up.
A. Little Solitudes
We must be ready to take advantage of the “little solitudes” that fill our day.
Examples: Early morning, driving to work, sitting in traffic, lunch break, at night before bed…
Just the other day I was doing yard work, cleaning up after the dogs when God used that a little solitude to reveal something to me about blessing. I looked around me at the early morning sun reflecting off of the mountains surrounding the valley and I thought, “What an amazing thing to see.” Then God stirred my mind to this thought, “One of God’s greatest blessings we can attain is being able to recognize we are blessed, no matter what condition we are in.”
It may not seem like an epiphany to you, but it was a heart-changing moment for me. Here I was, standing among the dog waste, cleaning it no less, yet I could still look around at God’s Glory and blessing.
These little moments are often lost, redeem them and allow God to use them to their fullest potential!
B. The Routine of…
This is what many will refer to as “The Quiet Place”. It means seeking out a quiet time and place where you are quiet before the Lord. There can be study and prayer involved, as long as it is not something that will distract from God’s voice.
If doing this daily seems overwhelming at first, start off with once a week. Work your way into twice a week; then maybe every other day until you can daily make solitude a part of your routine.
C. The Scheduled Event
I learned very quickly that if I ever want to experience any kind of longevity in ministry, solitude was a practice that I needed to make priority and routine.
So in my calendar I have times blocked out specifically for solitude. (teaching planning, reenergizing, seeking God’s counsel)
7th Sunday Concept – Something I learned from one of my mentors, who learned it from one his mentors is what’s called the 7th Sunday. The idea is basically rest and solitude for those who work in ministry. Sundays are our busiest day. So every 7th Sunday, we encourage the staff to take it off, and go be “ministered” to somewhere else where they do not have any responsibility.
You wanna know something interesting. Most of us (myself included) have a hard time sticking to it! Whether it’s a feeling of responsibility, pride or just plain rebellion, we struggle to take time away with God!
It doesn’t matter if you are in ministry or not, Jesus gives us a very simple example to follow—solitude. It’s for your benefit.
The Practice of Solitude is a Spiritual Discipline designed to create the heart that is ready seek God’s Word and let it take root within.
Psalm 27:8 (NASB)
When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”
- Prayer
