What Is the One Spiritual Discipline We All Avoid?
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Tragically, while we avoid silence and solitude the most, in our current culture, we need this discipline more than ever.
The most famous passage about the discipline of silence and solitude says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). In context, the writer addresses the threat of other nations, their violence, the enemies of Israel. His solution? Quit striving and recognize God’s authority and peace, his promise that he will be proven God.
Psalm 62:1 shows this position of quiet trust. “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.” Ecclesiastes 5:2 encourages us to not be so quick to talk to God, making sure we wait and listen. “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.”
The Bible also gives us narratives showing the power of solitude. With Elijah, after a time of fear, the prophet runs to Mount Horeb. There he experiences wind, an earthquake, and fire, but even though God sent those things, the Lord doesn’t speak through them. Instead, God truly reveals himself through a still, small voice, like a whisper (1 Kings 19). Elijah must be quiet and listen to hear God’s voice.
For our ultimate example, Jesus often withdrew from the large crowds into lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16). Before choosing the twelve disciples, Jesus spent an entire night alone in prayer (Luke 6:12). Further, Christ taught us to do the same, seeking private places when we pray. In Matthew 6:6, he instructs us to go into a room, close the door, and pray to the Father in secret.
When we intentionally pull away to be silent and still before God, silence and solitude aren’t emptiness or waste, but a key way to become like Christ. And in our modern culture, silence and solitude acts as rebellion for heaven.
To begin with, stepping away from the noise and activity helps slow down the pace of life and help align our hearts and minds to God’s truth. The busyness of life lies to us, telling us what we do or earn or what we are is never enough. Achievement and constant activity create stress, not peace or rest. Stress makes us sick.
The first day Adam and Eve knew was rest. God didn’t need rest; these new humans needed to understand the work belonged to God, and they joined him in it. They started from rest. They worked from rest, not to attain it. The curse flipped this, having them work to get rest. Intentional silence and solitude reminds us of God’s original design for us, restored in Christ, the curse broken.
In Christ, peace passes our understanding. Rest happens more than just taking a day off. God wants us to act from being, as he does. He loves because he is love. The Father wants to teach us to fight from a finished, eternal reality. We fight from a victory he’s already won. We live from his presence.
Silence and solitude forces us to be humble and acknowledge the simple worth of his presence. His intimacy, sitting at his feet, is enough. Stillness helps us shift our focus away from constant activity to the character and power of God.
Our fears, anxieties, weaknesses, and more will be exposed in the process, brought to light as we allow our hearts and minds to process. The Bible tells us to have God search our hearts honestly. “Search me, God, and know my heart … see if there is any offensive way in me” (Psalm 139:23-24). In the quiet, God’s voice addresses each fear with his truth and love, his hope and peace.
Finally, when we step away from constant activity, sitting at Jesus’ feet alone and listening, we realize our value doesn’t come from what we do. He died for us even before we knew him. He already loves us. He is for us.
The first suggestion is to start small, especially if you’ve never done it before. Trying to do an hour of stillness in solitude can discourage you.
Start with five or ten minutes of intentional silence. Turn off phones, music, everything. Sit quietly before God, acknowledge his presence in your heart, and simply listen. Perhaps you can set a timer for five minutes. A brief time will train your heart and mind to slow down and acknowledge God is near and in control.
Make sure to find a quiet place, as Jesus withdrew to a solitary location. Find a quiet room, a porch, a park, or somewhere with minimal interruptions. A consistent place might help train the mind to associate being still and alone with an environment.
Combine solitude and silence with other disciplines. Spend the five minutes in silence before reading the Bible, praying, or meditating on a verse or idea about God. Remember, part of silence and solitude is intentionally focusing on God and listening to him. We don’t just sit and let any thoughts happen. That’s how the enemy gets involved. Purposefully engage with the Father.
You can practice intentional pauses throughout the day, too. Take a minute every hour to be alone and silent, turning attention toward God. You’ll be surprised how long the minute can feel, yet also surprised at how much more peace you’ll feel throughout the day.
Placing boundaries on technology can make a big difference. Turn off notifications or set aside certain times without any screens. This makes it easier to sit and listen to the Spirit.
Finally, if you fail a few times, don’t quiet. In the beginning, it might be difficult to block out all distractions, but this experience is normal. Don’t let it discourage you. Like any discipline, physical or spiritual, you won’t start an expert. But over time, the heart becomes more comfortable with stillness.
And you know what? Eventually, you’ll long for those times to be reminded of your value, of a Father who loves you enough to sit with you and calm your fears.
Peace.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Klaus Vedfelt
