Sweet Solitude

When I was younger, I hated being alone. I wanted people and noise all around me at all times. When things became quiet and I was left to myself, I literally did not know what to do. Sometimes I would waste my time by watching some senseless TV show. Or I would try to busy myself with some task to avoid feeling isolated. Even so, a deep sense of loneliness would creep over me and before long my emotions would get the best of me. I would mistake being alone with being unloved and undesired. I did not take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy being by myself. I did not know God intimately and so speaking to Him or reading from His Word never even occurred to me. Thankfully now that I am older and know the Lord, I can honestly say that I savor the time when I am completely alone. No noise, no people, just me and my God. I have also learned over the years that I really am not alone at all. Jesus is with me every minute of every day.

I find it interesting that even Jesus took time to be alone by Himself and His Father. At times He literally sent people away so that He could be alone and pray. "After He dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Matthew 14:23" Usually He would awaken early to go off by Himself to pray. "At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. Luke 4:42" Being alone and seeking this solitude was an important priority for Jesus and even in His very busy schedule, He made the time to be alone with his Father. He knew that He could not do His work or maintain His fellowship in full power without His quiet time.

It is during these “alone” times that I have learned the most about God. Of course there is a place for “corporate” worship, prayer, and bible study groups, etc., but the times when I have felt the closest to God are the times when I have been completely alone with Him. The times He has revealed the deepest revelations to me are the times when I have been alone. The times I have found peace sweeping over my anxious thoughts are not the times when I have been busy talking things over with friends, but the times when I have been on my knees alone. I have come to realize that spending time ALONE with God is absolutely necessary if I desire to grow spiritually. Solitude with God has nurtured my relationship with Him in a way nothing else has. Spending this quality time with the Lord daily equips me to meet life’s many challenges and struggles. He gives me His power, His grace, and above all His perspective, which is so much better than mine.

My questions is “If Jesus had to get up very early just to get some “alone” time with God, how much more is this true for us today?” We must not get so busy that life turns into a flurry of activity leaving no room for quiet fellowship alone with God. The acronym for BUSY is "Being Under Satan’s Yoke". I am quite sure that Satan loves it when we are distracted and too busy to spend time alone with God. We may being doing all the right things with all the right people in all the right motives; however, if we make no room for God we will be acting in our own strength and it is only a matter of time before we “burn out”. Strength comes from God, and we can only be strengthened by spending time with Him. There is power of a life hidden in Christ.

Andrew Bonar once said, “In order to grow in grace, we must be much alone. It is not in society that the soul grows most vigorously. In one single quiet hour of prayer it will often make more progress than in days of company with others.” How true this statement is! No large growth in holiness will ever be gained by someone who does not take the time to be often and long, alone with God.

Remember there will always be plenty of things clamoring for our attention, many of them good things. My challenge to you is to seek first the kingdom of God. Enter into His presence by spending time with God first, and our very great reward will be that He will give us His power, His strength, and His wisdom. We will walk away from this time with him not feeling lonely or unloved, but refreshed, energized, and ready to conquer anything that comes our way. How? Because we have fed our Spirits with the living God who empowers and equips us for every good work that He has prepared for us to do. Best of all, we won’t tire out, and we won’t ever feel lonely.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

Be still and know that I am God. Isaiah 46:10

Silence is Golden

It’s the New Year and I have a question for you. Have you taken the time to sit quietly by yourself to reflect on the upcoming year and possibly set some new goals? Or maybe just to reflect on some things you’d like to change about yourself, some places you’d like to visit? Now, I’m not talking about making New Year’s Resolutions. You know, the high goals and aspirations that only set you up for failure. I’m talking about just sitting quietly by yourself and God to think about the new year that has just been ushered in.

There is something to be said about just being silent. No noise. Period. No TV, no radio, no other voices. Silence helps us to reconnect with God and ourselves in a way that nothing else can. Yet often we tend to avoid silence in our lives. I, too, am guilty of turning on the radio, even Christian radio, to fill the quiet moments in my day.

Silence is golden because it is in the quiet moments when we can really listen to our hearts. We can hear our deepest desires and longings. We can hear the Holy Spirit speak to our conscience about different matters that concern us. And yes, we can hear our heart’s true condition—even if it is not as pure and lovely as we thought. Often silence reveals sin in our lives that needs to be confessed. Yes, God speaks to us in the silent places, not in the clamor of noisiness. I believe that is why he says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” Could it be that we are avoiding silence because we are afraid of what He may reveal to us? Or could it be that we feel lazy if we are not always “doing” something? Or maybe we are trying to fill a void and using noise to cover it up.

Each one of us needs to take time to recharge our batteries. We can do this by simply finding a place where we can retreat and be still. It is our own “secret garden,” our place of quiet and solace. Our personal little retreat. We need to frequent this place of solitude often. This is where we can commune with God and allow Him to purge the unnecessary weight and burdens we often carry around. This is where He convicts us, fills us with hope, and gives us His power to start anew. This is the place where He helps us put things into proper perspective and teaches us to focus on matters that have eternal significance. Sometimes, we may be still and find ourselves not thinking of anything at all, and that may be just what we need. To stare idly out a window to watch the squirrels and birds and just savor the beauty of nature all around us that often goes unnoticed.

This year why not give yourself a special gift? A gift of quiet time all to yourself. I know it will satisfy much longer and better than any reality TV shows, shopping sprees, or idle phone conversations. You owe this to yourself and your God who continually beckons you to come away with Him to a quiet place of rest. Make some room in your life for silence and really listen to your heart. You may just be amazed at what you hear!

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31

"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength." Isaiah 30:15