Solitude is a time when we withdraw from the company of others in order to give God our undivided attention’ (John Ortberg).
The spiritual discipline of solitude is about spending time alone with God, to grow in relationship with Him and hear Him more clearly. This practice was a priority in Jesus’ life and ministry, especially at crucial moments eg. ‘Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed’ (Mark 1:35).
Solitude is not so much about what we do as what we don’t do! If we want to hear God, we need to consciously shut out the external noise in our lives and focus on the quiet inside us. If we are honest, this can be a real struggle. We want to do it, but other things can so easily get in the way: distractions, tiredness, jobs that need doing, wandering thoughts etc. Solitude gives us an opportunity to enjoy God’s presence, as somebody who we really want to spend time with.
Richard Foster (‘Celebration of Discipline’) suggests some ways in which we might grow in this discipline:
‘Little solitudes’: small everyday moments to seek inner silence eg, coffee times, travelling to work and time spent outside.
Quiet place: having specific places where we go to be quiet, eg a room or special chair in our home.
Retreat: organising a retreat where we can have time in silence and solitude.
We need to plan carefully how we use our time with God, including silent listening, meditating on Scripture, prayer, journaling, taking a meditative walk, or listening to a worship CD.
‘If we possess inward solitude we do not fear being alone, for we know that we are not alone.’ (Richard Foster)
The desire of the LCC Trust is that the facility is used for the spiritual, emotional, mental and/or physical development of each individual that spends time at the centre. If you are interested in hiring LCC for your group, please contact us on info@lowenchristiancentre.co.uk
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