Solitude: the discipline of presence
Introduction
We live crazy lives. Even now, in the midst of a pandemic, it’s hard to escape the stress and anxiety of modern life. Perhaps it’s even harder now than it was before. Yet, when we live out of a mindset of stress and anxiety, we forget that we are the children of the God of the universe. We forget that we have been offered an intimate relationship with the Creator of all. We forget that we have a Father.
That is why the discipline of solitude is so crucial. It takes us away from the stress and chaos of the moment and brings us into the restful presence of God. While God is always with us, moments of solitude allow for deep intimacy with Him. It is not something to take lightly. It is something to seek out and rejoice in!
What is solitude?
Solitude doesn’t mean being alone. It means immersing yourself in the presence of God. It means stepping away from other people so that you can be intimately alone with the Father, the King, the Comforter, the Counselor, the Redeemer.
Solitude is something we see time and again in Scripture. Moses went up the mountain alone with God. The prophets, alone, saw visions and heard from the Lord. Daniel went and prayed alone. Jesus himself often spent time alone with his Father. His anguished prayer in the garden is perhaps the most powerful example of time spent alone with the Father.
Solitude isn’t just about recharging from social interactions or cooling off after a heated argument. It may accomplish those things, but the spiritual discipline of solitude is an active pursuit and rest in the presence of the living God himself.
What does it look like for us?
Solitude is pretty simple to imagine. You spend time alone with God. You can do this any number of ways.
Go into your room and shut the door. Ask your family or roommates not to disturb you, and leave your phone (and any other communication devices) in a different part of the house
Do the same thing, but spend that time alone in the backyard
Go on a walk alone in the woods. This is my personal favorite way to practice solitude, and I often visit UGA’s Botanical Gardens. I do bring my phone along, but I keep it in a pocket and on do not disturb the entire time.
To me, at least, there’s something about nature that makes it easier to speak and listen to God. It’s so obvious how majestic, loving, and wonderful he is when you’re walking amidst the glories of his creativity. However, that’s a personal preference. There are a multitude of ways that you can practice solitude. The key is that you’re alone in the presence of God.
That’s the key to solitude: the presence of God. The discipline of solitude isn’t about a time to watch Netflix or read a new book. It is about time intentionally spent in prayer, reflection, and reading of Scripture. It is about sharing your heart with God (think about Jesus in the Garden) and listening to him in response. You might journal during this time, or write your prayer down. You may read Scripture silently, or read it aloud. Perhaps there are moments of solitude where all you can do is fall on your knees and weep to your Father. Perhaps there are other moments of solitude where all you can do is dance and laugh with your King.
This discipline can look different at different times and in different seasons, but one thing will always remain constant - you are spending intimate time alone with your Lord.
Why practice solitude?
Do you spend time with your closest friends? Does this time spent together not grow your relationship? This is valuable quality time, where you gain more intimate knowledge about each other, make memories, and ultimately grow closer together.
One question that I pose to you is, if it were only you and God in heaven after this life...nothing and no one else, would you be excited about that? Be honest with yourself. This question isn’t meant to make you feel bad, but it is meant to challenge you.
I think many of our honest answers to this question would be no. But why not? Probably because we haven’t taken time to enjoy God’s presence here and now. This is one crucial reason to practice solitude. Solitude is one way that we become more intimate with God. It is a way that we can allow Him to continue restoring the union between Himself and us. Ultimately, we get to be a part of the greatest love story imaginable and that is the union of Christ and His church. We get to spend time intimately with God and begin to restore that union in our own hearts here and now.
Conclusion
In Psalm 23:2 the psalmist writes, “ the LORD lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.” In some translations it states that the LORD “MAKES” us lie down in green pastures. Isn’t it crazy that sometimes God may have to force us to rest? He leads us to peaceful streams and meadows away from the world. This my friends is one way that God renews our strength. Find your strength renewed in the Father’s presence.