My absolute favorite time of the day is right before sunrise.  I used to really struggle with early mornings, but as Cancer came to our house things began to shift.  When the one you love is threatened by disease, it changes you—period.

While there are certainly many things I could complain about in the realm of chronic illness, the impact of the pre-dawn rising is not one of them.  Early in the morning, before the sun is fully up, there is certain quiet, a sweet solitude that is matchless to any other thing.  It is so utterly perfect that when I sleep through it, I feel gypped.

 

It may sound strange, but I love the dark, early mornings of winter, because everything feels especially quiet.  While the world still sleeps the nagging sounds of commitment and responsibility stand muted and it is miraculous.  The strange sound of nothingness is eerie, but it draws me in always stirring up a desire for more.

Can I let you in on a little secret?

 

Solitude is not the reward for work well done; it is the way to accomplishing all things well.  I believe it is worth fighting for, so today we’re going to talk about the benefits of breaking through the barriers that bind us in the noise.

 

3 barriers to solitude

 

A couple of months ago, I was sitting with a friend at a memorial service.  It was my second of the day, with a birthday party sandwiched in between. We sat quietly talking in hushed tones about solitude.

 

As I described a silent retreat my mother experienced, my friend physically shuddered and said, “I can’t imagine.  I would hate that—it’s too quiet.”  I was so surprised by her adamant response, but it got me thinking about why solitude is so valuable.

 

 

I think that the first barrier to solitude is fear.  There is something eerie about the still, quiet space, which makes it scary.  It’s complicated.  How can we want something so badly, yet work so hard to avoid it at the same time?  The heart of the issue is fear—fear of the unknown—which is uncomfortable and hard.

 

The second barrier is a false belief that solitude is reward that must be earned.  This lie leads us into patterns of striving and proving.  The belief that solitude is dependent upon worth binds the soul up in a never-ending impossible sort of indentured servitude.

 

The third barrier to solitude is the false belief that it is unattainable.  The idea that solitude is beyond our reach is the enemy’s strategy to take us down.  This lie is insidious because it reinforces a victim mentality.

 

Okay, so do me a favor and think about these barriers for minute.  Get real and honest so you can assess your heart on the matter.

 

Where do you have a tendency to land?

 

The gift of solitude is both available and accessible.  The best way to bust through the barriers is to cut down the lies.  The truth you are looking for is solitude is God’s strategy for equipping and empowering you to overcome.

 

 

 

 

The value of solitude

 

I cannot stress this enough, solitude is so powerful that it should be a necessary component of life rhythm.  Quiet and solitude is how we meet with God.  Waiting on Him in the in the quiet is paramount.

The problem is we don’t do quiet or waiting very well.  We are impatient and often entitled, which could also be considered barriers, although I really think that these attitudes are birthed from pride which is ultimately fueled by fear.  My point is that the issue with solitude is usually on our side, not the LORD’s.

 

This is not a new concept.  The LORD has been telling his people since the beginning of time that solitude and rest are important.  He modeled it and he mandated it, but still we evade the practice.

 

How crazy is that?  The God, who created heaven and earth, who is mighty and most powerful of all the earth, underscores the need for solitude, yet we still side-step it applying a myriad of excuses.  I don’t know about you, but even as I write these words I feel such a strong sense of yuck.  This arrogance is gross because it sets itself above God—it’s idolatry.

 

I know, right? Ouch.

 

Just breathe.  Take a minute to fix your eyes on Daddy-God and just breathe him in.

 

This is the value of solitude: it repositions your soul on the foundation of truth.  You don’t have to search for it; you just have to choose it.  Trust the LORD and take him at his word.  Wait and believe him in the quiet, because this is the place of relational re-orientation.

 

 

 

 

The benefits of solitude

 

 

Healing happens in solitude.   Your body requires solitude and quiet in order to produce the energy it needs to accomplish tasks when it is awake.  Rest is healing, which is why it always in the list of prescribed therapies for recovering from any illness.  Healing is a powerful benefit of solitude.

 

Clarity comes with solitude.  I don’t know about you, but I struggle to retain information when immersed in noise.   Choosing to quiet both the outer and inner noise eliminates distractions with sets your up to hear clearly.

 

Peace is established in solitude.  Jesus doesn’t just bring peace; he is peace (Isaiah 9:6).

When Jesus ascended for earth to heaven, he left us the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23

 

Solitude has a way of facilitating and stilling the internal chaos in order to see, hear, and feel what the God is saying.  Peace floats to the top when we stop the agitating.

 

Victory and breakthrough are released when your eyes and heart are fixed on the truth.  Solitude is the space where God does what we can’t do for ourselves.

 

“I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.” Psalm 62:1

 

Hope is nourished in solitude, which fuels confidence and faith.  Hope is tied to the glimpse of glory, which propels us toward more of the same.

 

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the LORD, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the LORD who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

 

 

 

 

Guarding your solitude

 

I know I said that solitude is available and accessible, but you must learn how to maintain it—unapologetically.  We live in a day where busyness is celebrated.  The more hurried you are the better, it seems, but you and I both know the wicked toll that takes on the soul.

 

It is really hard to step away from that way of life—believe me, I know.  But let me tell you something, hard does not equate impossible.  Overcoming hard begins with a simple choice, followed by the reinforcement of action.

 

You want to know something else?  God will help you.  Your biggest effort is the battle of belief and choice. Once you decide and declare trust, Holy Spirit will lead the way; your job is to be steadfast.

 

The place of solitude is where God fights for you.  In the secret quiet place his mercy rushes in and revives the soul, but you have to guard it.  The enemy knows that the only way he gains ground is when he distracts you.

 

In the quiet of solitude learn the ways of the Father’s heart so that you can discern his activity.  Understand that it is all about the stillness and solitude.  He doesn’t need us to bring the world to its knees, just ourselves.  That is the starting place.

 

“Be still and know that I am God.  I will be honored by every nation.  I will be honored throughout the world.”  Psalm 46:10

 

Knowing the ways of God enables you to recognize the fraudulent tactics of the enemy, so that you can say no.

 

 

 

 

One last thought…

 

I wanted to crawl out of my skin, when I first starting practicing the discipline of solitude—it just felt unproductive and that was difficult for me because I struggled with the lie that I was unworthy.  The Holy Spirit spoke to me, very clearly one day, as I reluctantly tried to be quiet.  I was stretched out face down on the floor waiting to hear from the LORD.  It was taking too long and I was impatient, so I asked, “Can I just put some music on? It’ll help me…” He cut me off before I could finish speaking with a gentle but firm rebuke. “That right there is the problem.”

 

He didn’t give me any more, but I understood.  I was rushed and in a hurry—unwilling to wait.  After that encounter, I realized that I needed to learn how to be still and quiet in His presence, because it was something He valued.  I learned that day, that God valued my presence over my activities—even spiritual ones.

 

Start by marking out the way.  It is much easier to find your way in when you have already looked ahead and worked around the obstacles.  There will always be unexpected hurdles, but they are much easier to navigate through when you know where you are going.

 

Holding onto solitude takes practice. This is a discipline, so allow yourself the grace to work at it.  You might really struggle or even (gasp) fail, but don’t lose heart; failure is not fatal.