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Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:14, NASB).
I love solitude — and I’m a person who talks too much! I haven’t always enjoyed being alone, and in fact, at one time, I feared it.
Arriving at a monastery 30 years ago for a four-day silent retreat, my thoughts were, “Am I nuts? I’m going to be bored, and what am I going to do with all this time?” Honestly, I came away from that first retreat so bored that I determined I could never be a monk.
I persevered, though, and eventually discovered what Teresa of Avila (an ancient solitude expert) said, “Settle yourself in solitude, and you will find Jesus within yourself.”
Amen! Let me share three notes that helped me move from nutso boredom to an awareness of God’s presence in my solitude.
Start small.
My first breakthrough into enjoying solitude came from an easy practice of reading my Bible and praying for fifteen minutes. Then, I took a pen and paper while asking God, “Okay, is there anything you want to say to me?”
At first, there weren’t words from God, just a sense of His presence that chased away anxiety. I found peace with a settled mind through which God could speak.
Understand the purpose of solitude.
Eastern religion promotes emptying the mind. I think this is extremely dangerous as you don’t know what or who will re-fill it. Why provide a door to demons with a neon sign above it that says to the spirit world, “Empty. Open to anything.”?
Understand that Biblical meditation shouldn’t lead to an empty mind but to seeing God’s face. Psalm 27 stands as the most important chapter in the Bible to memorize for the practice of solitude.
When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “I shall seek Your face, Lord.” Do not hide Your face from me, do not turn Your servant away in anger; you have been my help; do not abandon me nor forsake me, God of my salvation! (Psalm 27:89)
Find a place of silence.
Without silence, there can be no solitude. At the monastery where I had my initial quest for solitude, the monks wouldn’t talk to me — and I am a verbal processor. When I learned to process in a devotional conversation with God, my love of solitude elevated.
The most helpful tool for my relationship with God is a literal place of solitude.
This place can be anywhere, but you must find it, sanctify it with prayer, and while there, avoid picking up your mobile device. Instead, have your Bible, along with a pen and paper.
Remember: Start small, seek His face, and have a place.
Then you will experience. . .
Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be
exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress (Psalm 46:10-11, ESV).
Amen. . . So Be It!