Seeking solitude—time alone with God

Mark Dunwoody May 20, 2021

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We live in a world of noise, and with the abundance of messages we constantly encounter today, words have in many ways lost their meaning. We encounter messages in print, on signs, on billboards, on television and computer screens, and on our phones. We scan social media outlets and quickly read our emails and text messages.

The average person is bombarded with over 3,000 advertising messages every day. One danger of living in this flood of messages is that the content drowns out the quiet voice of God. More than ever, we must learn to cultivate times of silence and solitude so we can slow down, reflect, and listen to the voice of God. This comes only as we create space in our busy lives for spending time alone with God.

There is no better way to develop this discipline than by pairing it with time alone in solitude. One result of making space for silence is that it attunes our ears to hear God's voice, who often speaks quietly. When we pause to experience silence, we can begin to value and appreciate the meaning of God's Word.

Sadly, our prayers tend to be shallow, selfish, and lacking any serious reflection on the nature of God. We need prayers that arise from a deep place in our hearts, an experience of God, shaped by silence and solitude. These practices help us pray more thoughtfully as we stay focused on God and his kingdom.

All too often, we hear without truly listening. Times of silence enable us to listen to the still, small voice of God. We find this practice modeled by Jesus, who would often depart from the crowds after performing miracles and doing ministry. He spent periods of time in silence and solitude, alone with the Father. Consider the following Scriptures:

• "He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there." (Matthew 14:23, NKJV)

• "He departed and went into a deserted place." (Luke 4:42, NKJV)

• "So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed." (Luke 5:16, NKJV)

• "He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer." (Luke 6:12, NKJV)

• "He ... went up on the mountain to pray." (Luke 9:28, NKJV)

• "He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed." (Mark 1:35, NKJV)

• "He departed to the mountain to pray." (Mark 6:46, NKJV)

We love these verses because they remind us that our Lord needed time to get away by himself to do nothing but pray and listen to the Father. It might sound cliché, but it is true: if Jesus were a proponent of this practice in his ancient time, perhaps it is something we should consider for our own lives today. We need to make space in our busy lives to reflect on what God is doing and listen to the voice of the Spirit.

Like Jesus, we need to find a deserted place to pause, reflect, and pray. The problem is many leaders are in a constant mode of "doing" as they create more programs and activities. Just as we decide to limit foods that aren't healthy for us, we must also choose to sometimes keep at bay the connectivity we are increasingly hardwired to adore.

Likewise, the saints of the past reveal that quiet, contemplative prayer is something that can not only refresh us—physically, emotionally, physiologically, and spirituality—but also can transform our neighborhoods and our world. By living in the Spirit, we foster a spirituality that is not just another connection but rather the connection to the purposes of our lives.

We live in a world that works as hard as it can to banish silence from our everyday existence. Silence is the enemy of ease—and people want what's easy. It is seen as something to be avoided (a moment of awkwardness between conversations, for example), rather than something useful and valuable.

Yet, many people today also yearn for the opportunity to step away from the noise and busyness of modern life and rediscover the potential of peace and quiet. In losing silence, we have lost something that can add value to our lives, both in our spiritual journey and in our psychological well-being.

We can trace this tension between listening and doing throughout church history. At a very human level, we all live out this tension of doing and being as we seek to love God, our neighbor, and ourselves. So what might it be about silence that both attracts and repels us? Maybe it is the emptiness it can bring, for silence takes away our distractions and leaves us with our selves—and of course, with God. In silence, there is no hiding place from the chatter of life.

Silence offers space in which we are brought into an encounter with the Living God.

Excerpted fromHealthy Rhythm for Leaders: Cultivating Soul Care in Uncertain Times,by Winfield Bevins and Mark Dunwoody (Exponential, 2021).

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Dr. Mark Dunwoody has more than three decades of international experience as an entrepreneur and consultant to non-profits and faith communities. Originally from Belfast, Ireland, Mark has lived in five countries and is well known, internationally, in the missional conversation as an author, trainer, speaker, strategist, Design Thinker and coach.

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