4 WAYS TO PRACTICE THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE OF SILENCE & SOLITUDE

I read a book a few years ago that profoundly impacted my understanding of the spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude. On my journey to uncluttering my soul, learning to practice silence and solitude was instrumental in submitting to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

WHAT SILENCE & SOLITUDE IS NOT

In her book, Finding Focus in a Whirlwind World, Jean Fleming explains our struggle with silence and solitude:

We live in a noisy, busy world. Silence and solitude are not twentieth-century words…We have become a people with an aversion to quiet and an uneasiness with being alone.

Jean Fleming, Finding Focus in a Whirlwind World

This rings true for many of us…including me. Think about what we do to fill the void when there is no noise or we are alone:

• Immediately reach for the radio when we are driving in the car.
• Put on our headphones when we are at the gym or out for a walk.
• Listen to a podcast or turn on the TV while doing chores.
• Take phone calls (and talk loudly!) while running errands alone.

Advances in technology have made it possible for us never to be without some kind of voice filling the quiet and empty spaces in our lives.

I think we are uncomfortable with the practice of silence and solitude because we think of them in these terms:

Silence = The complete absence of noise

Solitude = The state of being utterly alone

But embracing the spiritual discipline of silence and solitude is not necessarily about being completely quiet or absolutely alone…although both may be part of the process.

It is about subtraction instead of addition. Silence and solitude allow us to remove things from our lives to make room for God.

Instead of thinking about this spiritual discipline in terms of what it is… try thinking about what it is not.

• Don’t think about doing something…embrace doing nothing.
• Don’t create an agenda or to-do list…create space instead.
• Don’t force this time to come…allow it to flow naturally.

WHAT SILENCE & SOLITUDE IS

Donald Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life explains silence and solitude in this helpful way:

The Discipline of silence is the voluntary and temporary abstention from speaking so that certain spiritual goals might be sought. Sometimes silence is observed in order to read, write, pray, and so on. Though there is no outward speaking, there are internal dialogues with self and God…

Solitude is the Spiritual Discipline of voluntarily and temporarily withdrawing to privacy for spiritual purposes. The period of solitude may last only a few minutes or for days. As with silence, solitude may be sought in order to participate without interruption in other Spiritual Disciplines, or just to be alone with God.

Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

There are three key ingredients we can note from Whitney’s description of silence and solitude.

1) INTENTIONAL

We need to make time and space to practice silence and solitude for the purpose of drawing near to God. While we do not want to be strict with how it should be done, we do need thoughtful about why we should incorporate these spiritual disciplines into our daily routines.

2) INDIVIDUAL

Practicing silence and solitude will look different for each one of us and may even take different forms throughout certain seasons of our lives. Solitude for a young stay-at-home mom will look much different than for a retired empty-nester. Silence can be achieved in an empty room and in a crowded coffee shop. You need to take into account your temperament, season of life, and spiritual goals.

3) INTERDEPENDENT

In all of my study of these spiritual disciplines, I have not seen silence and solitude discussed apart from one another. It makes logical sense, doesn’t it?

Although it is possible to possess solitude amid crowds or noise by withdrawing into ourselves, in practice, it is difficult. When we reduce interruptions and external stimuli, we can focus our attention. The quieter we can make our world (silence), the easier we can disengage from distractions and go deeper into solitude.

So, there is a direct relationship between the intensity of silence and the depth of solitude.

We usually need solitude to practice silence, and silence is easier to achieve when we are alone.

HOW JESUS PRACTICED SILENCE & SOLITUDE

The Scriptures repeatedly show us that Jesus was purposeful and intentional in making time to be alone with God.

Think about that. If Jesus (the Son of God!) needed to get away from the chaos and noise of life…how much more do we?

Before Jesus began His earthly ministry, He was alone in the wilderness for forty days (Matthew 4:1).

After feeding the five thousand (an amazing miracle!), Jesus “went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone” (Matthew 14:23).

Before he began preaching in Galilee: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed) (Mark 1:35).

After healing many and having more people beg for his touch: “Early the next morning, Jesus went out to an isolated place. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them” (Luke 4:42).

Some interesting things to note about Jesus’ times of silence and solitude:

• He began his ministry with a long period of silence and solitude.
• He often needed silence and solitude after the demands of teaching, healing, and performing miracles.
• He knew He needed intimacy with His Father to care for His soul and prepare for the cross.
• He prioritized getting away and alone with God even though His time on earth was short.
• We cannot miss the significance and example of our greatest role model!

He was not rigid, formulaic, or uncaring to those around Him. He knew that intimacy with God was the only way He could do what God called Him to do.

WHY WE SHOULD PRACTICE SILENCE & SOLITUDE AS A SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

And so it goes with us. If we want to live and love well, we must spend time with our Heavenly Father in silence and solitude, just as Jesus did. Yet, the benefits far outweigh any investment of our time. Consider the following five reasons for incorporating silence and solitude into our faith journeys.

To Hear from God

I realize that we can still hear from God without eliminating noise and people, but I find that without those distractions, I can calm my soul and hear His voice better. If you have been struggling to hear God’s voice or follow His will, try eliminating the voices of the outside world to focus your attention on God.

To Restore our souls

In our crazy and chaotic world, taking time away is one way to restore and renew our souls. Silence and solitude give us the opportunity to recharge and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us when we have become depleted, discouraged, or depressed.

To Be filled with His Spirit

The process of becoming more like Jesus (sanctification) only happens through the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When we master the disciplines of silence and solitude, we invite the Holy Spirit to come in and transform us from the inside out. We allow Him space and room to do the deep soul cleansing we desperately need.

To Prepare for what He wants us to do.

If you want to discern God’s will about a situation in your life, the best way is to get alone with Him in silence and solitude. Donald Whitney notes, “Christian history is rich with memorable stories of men and women who secluded themselves from all others to seek the will of Him who matters most” (Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 192).

To Express Worship & Gratitude

“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). When we worship and express our thanks to God, we do not always have to use words, sounds, or actions. Being present before God in silence and solitude is one of the most profound ways to acknowledge who God is and what He has done for us.

4 PRACTICAL WAYS TO BEGIN THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE OF SILENCE & SOLITUDE

In Ruth Haley Barton’s book, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, she invites you to meet God deeply and fully outside the demands and noise of life.

Using her simple practice for beginners, I created my own list of keywords and phrases to guide me in this spiritual discipline. I hope they encourage you to practice silence and solitude, but I highly recommend getting her book if you want to go deeper and learn more. 

Sacred Space

Choose a designated area where you can go that is quiet, calm, and inviting. This could be a special chair or a corner in a room. It can even be outdoors. Just make sure this space is separate and set aside to be alone with God.

Time & Pace

Whether it is early in the morning before everyone wakes up or late in the evening before you go to bed, the goal is to set aside a portion of your day to have focused and uninterrupted time alone without distractions. Start small by setting a timer for ten minutes.

Position & Place

Barton reminds us that it is necessary to “settle into a comfortable yet alert position.” Yes, it can be tempting to drift off, so I found it easier to remain seated in a chair. Taking a walk alone might be helpful as well. Our surroundings are important in that they cultivate silence and solitude, not distract us from it.

Prayer & Grace

Keep your prayers simple and short. Allowing space for silence is crucial to hearing from God. Give yourself grace and be open to just being with God instead of “doing” something for Him.

Below is a guide I created, “How to Practice Silence & Solitude,” that I would love to give you. Click on the image below to download and print your free copy.

EMBRACING SILENCE & SOLITUDE TOGETHER

I hope this post has encouraged and challenged you to embrace the spiritual discipline of silence and solitude. While practicing these disciplines together may defeat the purpose 😉, we can hold each other accountable!

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