Finding a Balanced Life – Solitude An Act Of Discipleship
Have you ever lost your balance? Have you ever driven a car that had unbalanced tires? I know that I have. One time I went and bought new tires for my car. I had not driven very far when I noticed that something was wrong. The steering wheel was shaking – and the car was doing things that it had never done before. I turned the car around and went back to the tire store. A very simple thing was overlooked. Do you know what it is? They had mounted the tires on the rim – but they had overlooked balancing the tire. The way they did it back then is they would add small weights to the rim of the wheel in order to have the tire balanced. When a tire is out of balance – it can affect a lot of things. Have you ever lost your balance?
Sometimes we lose our balance on ice – and we fall. Sometimes we lose our balance in life and we fall too. One of the neglected disciplines of discipleship is solitude. We live in a world where business and activity is the norm – but you don’t hear many people talk about silence and solitude – do you? These are not highly prized activities. But do you know that silence and solitude were a regular pattern of life for Jesus? Jesus found time for silence and solitude – even in the business of His life.
How many of you like peace and quiet? (Most people will raise their hands.) Do you really? If I take my watch and say, “Ok, what we are going to do for the next five minutes is be perfectly still and quiet. There will be no talking – there will be no looking around – also there will be no sleeping – (sleeping does not count.) – all you can do is sit there and be still.” Do any of you think you would be uneasy with that request? I think that some of us would shutter at the thought of absolute silence – absolute stillness. In our fast pace world silence and solitude don’t usually make it to the top of our priority list.
Dietrich Bonheoffer wrote, “We are so afraid of the silence that we chase ourselves from one event to the next in order not to have to spend a moment alone with ourselves, in order not to have to look at ourselves in the mirror.”
Jesus Example
For those of us who follow Christ – it is easy to see in the gospels the examples that Jesus set when it comes to solitude and silence. In Matthew chapter fourteen there are two examples where Jesus sought solitude. Follow along with me as I read Matthew chapter fourteen verses ten through thirteen:
*Solitude At the death of John the Baptist (The Storm Of Death)
“He (Herod) sent and had John beheaded in the prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the body and buried it; and they went and reported to Jesus. Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself.” Matthew 14:10-13a (NASV)
At the hearing of the news about the death of John the Baptist – Jesus sought solitude and silence. Folks the storms of death will more than likely touch each and every one of our lives. For many of us – it has already happen. A parent – a grandparent – a sibling – a spouse – a friend – can be touched by death – and it is times like those that we may need to seek silence and solitude with our Father in heaven. I know this was true of Jesus.
A second incident takes place later on in the same chapter. It seems that Jesus popularity kept growing and so did the demands of the crowds. Follow along with me as I read Matthew chapter fourteen and verse twenty three:
*Solitude At the pressure of popularity (The Storm Of Pressures)
“After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.” Matthew 14:23 (NASV)
Folks, popularity has its own pressure – as well as the fast pace world we live in. There are times we need to seek silence and solitude to help us recharge our batteries for the challenges that may lie right around the corner. Daily pressures can take a toll on us. I know that Jesus sought solitude because of the demands on His life. Perhaps we should too.
There is a third incident that takes place in Matthew chapter fourteen that I think should also be mentioned. It is the story of Jesus calming a raging sea. He had sent them on ahead of Him. But the Bible says that the little boat was, “battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary.” But what happened next was a miracle. Jesus came to them walking on the water. Of course all of you remember that Peter asks Jesus if he can walk on the water with Him – and Jesus says, “Come!” Of course Peter does and then he begins to sink. Jesus reaches out His hand and saved Peter from the sea. But do you remember what happened next? It is found in verse thirty two. Read along with me:
“…when they climbed into the boat the wind died down.” Matthew 14:32
* Silence At the storms of nature (The Storm Of Circumstances)
Folks – not only does Jesus practice silence and solitude – He can provide silence in our raging life. He can give calm even in the midst of chaos. The storms of life will often batter us – but Jesus can provide peace in the midst of our pressures. Look at what Psalm eighty nine says:
“You (God) rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.” Psalm 89:9 (NASV)
In the book of Job it says:
“All by himself he stretches out the heavens and strides on the waves of the sea.” Job 9:8 (MSG)
God can provide calm even in the midst of calamity. Seek Him in silence and solitude – for when the storms come – you will be prepared.
Today we are continuing our sermon series: Disciplines Of Discipleship.
Our focal verse for this series is from First Timothy chapter four and verse seven. Please follow along with me as I read:
“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” 1st Timothy 4:7 (NASV)
In this series we have been examining the disciplines of discipleship – those actions – those practices – that will help us to grow as disciples of Christ. We have talked about – becoming a person of prayer. We have discussed – how to develop a quiet time with God. We have looked at the importance of Bible study in your spiritual development and we have emphasized that you – have the responsibility and ability to add to your spiritual development.
That is why Timothy tells:
“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” 1st Timothy 4:7 (NASV)
Today we will be look at the practice of Solitude for Christian growth.
We must endeavor to become more like Christ. We must discipline ourselves – for the purpose of godliness. Our Father – Our Heavenly Father – wants us to become more like Him and His Son Jesus Christ.
Jesus set an example for us of seeking solitude – so today we are going to look at:
Four Benefits of Solitude
1. Solitude Helps Me Hear The VOICE Of God
God calls us to enter our closets when we pray. Do you remember that passage of scripture where Jesus tells us to pray in our “inner room”? It is found in Matthew chapter six:
“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” Matthew 6:6 (NASV)
Now this passage of scripture is not speaking against public prayer – but it is instructing us that our private prayers need to be just that – private. God wants to have a private time with us – and we need to seek a private time with Him. We have already seen examples of times that Jesus got away to talk to the Father in private – at the death of John the Baptist and at the pressures of popularity – but there are times when we all need to get away to spend private time with the Father. The Father wants for us to seek Him.
In Psalm chapter forty six verse ten the King James Version says, “Be still and know that I am God.” In First Kings chapter nineteen Elijah is seeking God – and here is what it says:
“A great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12 (KJV)
There are times when God speaks in a whisper. There are times that God speaks in “a still small voice”. If we are filling our lives with noise – it is hard to hear Him. If we are filling our lives with activities it is hard to see Him.
I personally find early morning the best times to do my Bible Study and sermon preparation. Before anyone else is up at my house – I strive to spend some time alone with God. I have found that stepping out of the busyness of the day helps me hear God’s voice better. John chapter ten says:
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27 (NASV)
We need to be still. We need to be silent. We need to seek solitude at times to clearly hear God’s voice.
Point two:
2. Solitude Helps Me Build INTIMACY With God
When I have been alone with God – my relationship with Him becomes deeper and I can worship Him better. My understanding of Him grows by the intimacy I share with Him.
This summer my wife and I will celebrate our thirty seventh wedding anniversary. We know each other fairly well – even though I think there are still things that each of us have to discover about each other. But in thirty seven years we have learned to read each other quiet well. We can give each other a nod of the head – or a certain look – and by that action we know what the other person wants. Recently we have been talking to each other long distance and what we have found – is that - we will finish each other’s sentence or say the same thing at the same time. We know each other because we are intimate with each other. Wouldn’t it be great if we were that intimate with God? I think we can be.
Our intimacy with God is reflected by our commit to God. Our commitment to God is reflected by the amount of time we spend with God. Jesus gives us the invitation to spend time with Him – when He says:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20 (NASV)
Benefit three:
3. Solitude Helps Me Express My FAITH In God
As Jesus would seek solitude – don’t you think that Jesus was expressing His faith in His Father? As we seek quiet time alone with God – wouldn’t we be expressing our faith in Him also?
This reminds me of the story of a young boy who went with his father to visit his grandfather. The older man lived in the mountains in a small cabin in the woods. The cabin was small and the grandson had to sleep on the couch. Each morning before the sun came up the grandfather would quietly make his way from the bedroom – through the living room – and out the front door. Well the grandson was a light sleeper and each morning the grandfather would wake him up as he passed through. The grandson though would lie there and pretend that he was still asleep. After about the third morning of this the young boy asked his dad, “Dad, where does grandpa go each morning.” The father replied, “He goes out to talk to God.” The young boy asked, “Dad, does God exist?” To this the father replied, “Your grandpa believes He does?”
Folks our actions speak loud. As Jesus would go off to find solitude with the Father – people would notice. They would see by His actions that He had faith in the Father - because He took time to be alone with the Father. The book of Hebrews tells us:
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:16 (NASV)
Faith is belief in action. If you really believe something you act on it. Jesus believed that God wanted to spend time with Him alone - and so He would seek God in silence and solitude.
Folks God does exist. There is not a doubt in my mind – but it is still an expression of faith that I serve Him and seek Him – and it is an expression of your faith as well. People notice your actions. People notice your faith in God – and seeking Him in solitude is an expression of your faith. The Psalmist tells us:
“My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2 (NASV)
To trust in the Lord takes faith. To wait in silence takes faith. To seek God in solitude takes faith. But the promise is – “He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
Our fourth point:
4. Solitude Helps Me Become SPIRITUALLY Restored
Folks in this world we get bumped, bruised and battered. Jesus had the daily pressures – that were wearing Him down – pressing in on Him – so He sought solitude with God. He knew that an intimate relationship with the Father would restore Him spiritually – and so He sought out to seek God in solitude. Jesus heard about the death of John the Baptist and the news hurt Him – so He sought solitude with God. The storms of life can leave us crashed and crushed. But Jesus can spiritually restore us.
The gospel of Mark gives us different insights into the death of John the Baptist. Follow along with me as I read:
“(They) brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. And when his disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb. And the apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while." (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves.”
Mark 2:28-32 (NASV)
Do you see the invitation in this passage of scripture? Go ahead and circle: “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while.” Jesus still offers invitations. Jesus still says to us, "Come". Jesus stills the storms of life – because that is what He does. He still gives invitations. He still offers healing. Did you notice in this verse that He invites us to go into solitude with Him. He wants to spend time alone with each of us. In Mark chapter eleven it says:
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NASV)
Our rest is in Jesus – our hope is in Jesus – our healing is in Jesus. I believe that Jesus’ invitation still stands. His invitation is still open. You have an opportunity today to accept the invitation – you have an opportunity right now to meet with Him – to come to Him – to put your faith in Him – to rely on Him - and He will heal your hurts. Will you come?
(I want to thank Duane Smith for his sermon started ideas – from the sermon - Christian Disciplines: Solitude & Silence)
