Week 3: The Means Day 12 Tuesday

Solitude- Solitude is the practice of being alone. Dallas Willard says, “Of all the disciplines of abstinence, solitude is generally the most fundamental in the beginning of the spiritual life, and it must be returned to again and again as that life develops.”
Silence is the practice of being in a quiet place and/or not speaking. Solitude and silence together provide a foundation for prayer that will radically transform your communication with God.
What makes solitude so important? John Ortberg says, “Solitude is the one place where we can gain freedom from the forces of society that will otherwise relentlessly mold us.” Henri Nouwen describes solitude as “the furnace of transformation.” If Jesus needed time to be with the Father, how much more do we need this time? The reason Christians are to seek solitude and silence is the same reason Jesus did – to be able to hear from God.
What do you do during time in solitude? The best answer to this question is: “Nothing.” While at first you might feel like this is a waste of time, allow these feelings to cause you to consider that your worth is not determined by you always needing to keep busy or be “doing” something. For many it is a temptation to take things with them such as books, worship music, a “to-do” list, your calendar, or even that project you’ve been meaning to get done. One of the most important principles to grasp is that solitude is not about doing something . . . it is about not doing something. Richard Foster says: “What we must clearly understand and underscore is that our real task [in solitude] is to create a space in our lives where God can reach us. Once that space has been created we wait quietly, expectantly. From this point on, the work belongs to God.”


Scripture:
• Read and meditate on Mark 1:35, 1 Kings 19:11, Lamentations 3:28, Psalm 46:10.

Reflection:
• How and when do you resist being alone? What tends to pop into your mind when you are alone? What do resort to doing when you are alone? What troubles you about being alone? What sense of God do you have when you are alone?
Practice:
There are many ways to build the practice of solitude into your life. These include regular alone times with God, preferably on a daily basis. It is good to plan special times, maybe weekly or monthly, where we can spend a few hours to a day in solitude. We also need periodic extended times, once or twice a year, where we can have several days of solitude.
• Solitude rarely happens unless we schedule it. Therefore, the first step is to get out your calendar and schedule the time in. Determine where you might be able to spend some daily time in solitude. Schedule it just as you would an appointment. Then schedule a time where you can spend 4-6 hours alone. If possible, schedule several days where you can get away for an extended time sometime in the next 6 months.
• Think about where you feel most at peace. Some people like the beach, some like the mountains, some might be able to find it in their own backyard. It is important to note that it is usually very helpful to be out in nature. Write out several places where you might be able to spend some solitude time.

Find a place this week where you can practice solitude in the midst of your workday. It might be finding a quiet, peaceful spot during the lunch hour. Experiment with this to see how God uses it in your life.