Solitude
It's 7:41 A.M. The Benson family has just exploded in the daily "big bang."
Dad gulps down the last bit of jelly doughnut laced with lukewarm coffee as he bolts out the door, tie flying, stomach gurgling.
Mom slams little Joey into the car seat and yells, "Hurry up, Suzy! We're already ten minutes late!" She starts the car and groans when she remembers that she forgot to brush her teeth.
Suzy waltzes down the stairs with perfect hair, plops into the car and says, "Good grief, Mom. Get a grip."
Is this scene, described by Lifewalk, harmony or insanity? Is this any way to live? Is it any wonder many dream of moving to a remote cabin in the woods? Is sanity, even a little solitude, possible in a high-tech, high-pressured world?
Antoine de Saint-Exupery once said, "The great of the earth are those who leave silence and solitude around themselves, their work, and their life, and let it ripen of its own accord." Solitude is not an issue of geographical location, but internal perspective and priorities. Living under pressure? Solitude is possible.
First, solitude is not loneliness. Loneliness is a longing for companionship, a feeling of being deserted. During solitude, the stillness is refreshing. Quietly, you reflect upon God, experience His friendship, and long to hear His small still voice.
Second, solitude is possible even in the midst of a busy schedule. Jesus' schedule was often packed, the days long. The pressures and demands of people swirled about Him, the crowds demanded His attention, but He sought selected times of solitude.
Third, solitude is essential to put life into perspective. Sorting out time. Time to reflect. An opportunity to heal. A battery recharge. Moments to sift the urgent from the eternal. Ralph Carmichael wrote a song, "There is a quiet place, far from the rapid pace, where God can soothe my troubled mind."
Fourth, solitude is a discipline to be learned. Make it a practice: turn off the TV, go for a walk, visit a park or the ocean. Take your Bible along, read a section, meditate on it, and then begin to reflect and worship. At first, the mind may rush from subject to subject. Stay with it! Michael E. Debakey, a heart surgeon, writing in Look magazine, reflected,
For me, the solitude of early morning is the most precious time of day. There is a quiet serenity that disappears a few hours later with the hustle and bustle of the multitude.
Early morning hours symbolize for me a rebirth; the anxieties, frustrations and woes of the preceding day seem to be washed away during the night. God has granted another day of life, another chance to do something worthwhile for humanity.
Fifth, solitude is essential for a deepening relationship with God. Jesus practiced it: "And in the morning, while it was still dark, He arose and went out and departed to a lonely place, and was praying there" (Mark 1:35). The Psalmist wrote "Cease striving and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Augustine said it well, "Our hearts are restless, O God, until they rest in Thee." Instead of exploding in the daily "big bang," take some time to see the "bigger picture." Quietly reflect upon God and experience His friendship. The quiet waters will satisfy the thirst of your inner being, bring healing to your troubled mind, and deepen your walk with God.
Dad gulps down the last bit of jelly doughnut laced with lukewarm coffee as he bolts out the door, tie flying, stomach gurgling.
Mom slams little Joey into the car seat and yells, "Hurry up, Suzy! We're already ten minutes late!" She starts the car and groans when she remembers that she forgot to brush her teeth.
Suzy waltzes down the stairs with perfect hair, plops into the car and says, "Good grief, Mom. Get a grip."
Is this scene, described by Lifewalk, harmony or insanity? Is this any way to live? Is it any wonder many dream of moving to a remote cabin in the woods? Is sanity, even a little solitude, possible in a high-tech, high-pressured world?
Antoine de Saint-Exupery once said, "The great of the earth are those who leave silence and solitude around themselves, their work, and their life, and let it ripen of its own accord." Solitude is not an issue of geographical location, but internal perspective and priorities. Living under pressure? Solitude is possible.
First, solitude is not loneliness. Loneliness is a longing for companionship, a feeling of being deserted. During solitude, the stillness is refreshing. Quietly, you reflect upon God, experience His friendship, and long to hear His small still voice.
Second, solitude is possible even in the midst of a busy schedule. Jesus' schedule was often packed, the days long. The pressures and demands of people swirled about Him, the crowds demanded His attention, but He sought selected times of solitude.
Third, solitude is essential to put life into perspective. Sorting out time. Time to reflect. An opportunity to heal. A battery recharge. Moments to sift the urgent from the eternal. Ralph Carmichael wrote a song, "There is a quiet place, far from the rapid pace, where God can soothe my troubled mind."
Fourth, solitude is a discipline to be learned. Make it a practice: turn off the TV, go for a walk, visit a park or the ocean. Take your Bible along, read a section, meditate on it, and then begin to reflect and worship. At first, the mind may rush from subject to subject. Stay with it! Michael E. Debakey, a heart surgeon, writing in Look magazine, reflected,
For me, the solitude of early morning is the most precious time of day. There is a quiet serenity that disappears a few hours later with the hustle and bustle of the multitude.
Early morning hours symbolize for me a rebirth; the anxieties, frustrations and woes of the preceding day seem to be washed away during the night. God has granted another day of life, another chance to do something worthwhile for humanity.
Fifth, solitude is essential for a deepening relationship with God. Jesus practiced it: "And in the morning, while it was still dark, He arose and went out and departed to a lonely place, and was praying there" (Mark 1:35). The Psalmist wrote "Cease striving and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Augustine said it well, "Our hearts are restless, O God, until they rest in Thee." Instead of exploding in the daily "big bang," take some time to see the "bigger picture." Quietly reflect upon God and experience His friendship. The quiet waters will satisfy the thirst of your inner being, bring healing to your troubled mind, and deepen your walk with God.