Spiritual Discipline of Solitude
by Gary Johnson
It’s a new month, so that means we move on to a new spiritual discipline – that of solitude. Throughout 2024, we want ALL EYES ON JESUS (Heb 12:1-2), and one way to accomplish living that way is in practicing the twelve spiritual disciplines.
Like going to the gym and doing exercises to become stronger, the spiritual disciplines are “exercises” to make us stronger in our walk with Jesus. These disciplines are pursued both individually, as well as with others, and solitude is certainly practiced by oneself.
Before explaining what solitude is, it is important to explain what it isn’t – and that being, loneliness. Solitude is indeed being alone, but it is far from being lonely. Loneliness, being both painful and pandemic, can often be misconstrued with solitude. Richard Foster helps understand the difference: “loneliness is inner emptiness; solitude is inner fulfillment.”
To find fulfillment by practicing solitude, we need to exit from and enter into a particular reality. Think with me. We live in a busy, noisy culture. From sun-up to sun-down, we have places to go, people to see and things to do – and every moment in surround sound! When we get in the car, we turn on the radio or listen to a podcast. We live on our phones and use earbuds while working around the house and while working out at the gym. Stores and restaurants have music playing, while waiting rooms have TVs blaring. Some people even go to sleep with ambient noise!
We have become so accustomed to noise and people that the thought of being in quiet solitude is both uncommon and uncomfortable to us. Do you remember how unsettling the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown was to us? Americans did not know how to isolate in their homes after government officials issued stay-at-home orders from coast to coast. Similarly, practicing solitude is unsettling because we are not accustomed to being purposefully quiet and alone.
So then, pursuing solitude is not adding one more thing to our to-do list. Quite the opposite. Practicing solitude is doing nothing other than making room for God.
Out of the 31,102 verses in the Bible, I actually have an absolute favorite. The verse declares what I enjoy most in this life and will enjoy most in the next. I’ve asked Leah to be certain to put it on my headstone when I die. The verse? Psalm 73:28 states, “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge. I will tell of all your deeds.” Solitude is making room for God in my everyday life, and that is being near Him. It doesn’t get any better than that.
So, how do I think about and pursue solitude? Here are
Solitude is a place.
Jesus intentionally sought places where He made room for His heavenly Father. He often withdrew to lonely places, leaving the house long before dawn to be alone in prayer (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16). Jesus went into the mountains and spent the night there alone with God (Luke 6:12). From the beginning of His ministry when He was in the wilderness for forty days to the end of His ministry when He was in Gethsemane, Jesus deliberately removed Himself from being around others so that He could be alone with His Father. Do we?
I begin every day alone with God – and I love it. This is by far one of my most enjoyable times of day, and that being so, I protect this time on my schedule. Psalm 23:5 reads that the Lord “prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” I view that in this day and age as the Lord preparing a table for two—a table for Himself and for me—in the presence of the enemies of noise and being busy. Will I choose to join Him at this table or leave Him there sitting alone morning after morning?
Solitude is a pace.
To exit from a busy, noisy world, I must enter a quiet, calm place. I can do this in what I call “micro-moments” throughout the day, or in “macro-moments” that may involve even more than a day. In the morning, I enjoy spending one to three hours in solitude, and then throughout the day, I may take a break and enjoy a few minutes of solitude with the Lord to catch my spiritual breath. In more rare circumstances, I enjoy setting aside a day or two to retreat into solitude, thereby making even more room for God.
Solitude includes prompting.
When Jesus climbed the Mount of Transfiguration with James, Peter and John (Mark 9:2-13), God spoke atop the mountain. God even commanded the inner circle to “listen to Jesus”, indicating that this mountain-climbing retreat was to receive some direction from the Lord and that required leaving the crowd behind and going to a solitary place. People typically are not found on top of mountains! When I enter into a solitary place to be alone with the Lord, I want to be prompted by His voice in this empty space. How can I possibly “hear” His voice if I am surrounded by sound 24/7/365? Solitude is making room for God to speak above the constant clamor and frenetic schedules of our lives.
Solitude is a perspective.
A perspective is how we think, and when we practice solitude, we have a mindset of peace. When sitting still in the presence of the Prince of Peace, He calms us in ways that are beyond human description. Holy thought in the presence of our Holy God results in profound peace of mind.
We are quick to quote the first part of James 4:8; “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Yet, the remainder of the verse reads: “Wash your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded.” Drawing near to God demands a decision if we are going to practice this discipline.
Lead well.
