This Was Hard For Me
This semester I am taking a course on spiritual formation. Many will ask…why would you pay for that kind of class? My push back is that this is exactly the kind of class that seminaries need more of. Too many students get overwhelmed with the work that they lose intimacy with Christ.
As one of my many assignments, I had to go on a 3 hour retreat of silence and solitude. I never do solitude or silence. I love time by myself, but it usually involves tv, music, internet, computer stuff…etc. Quietness and solitude are not a part of my forte.
I spent 3 hours last week walking around Oak Hills Park (couple minutes walk from home and work) and sitting under this tree (picture above) on the bench there. No tv, no ipod, no computer, no people, no distractions…it was HARD! The shade was the perfect place because it was 90 outside and pretty hot. Here are some of the thoughts I wrote down during my time:
- Only God would know there has to be an afternoon breeze to make a perfect summer day.
- Silence is rare in my life.
- I’m pretty preoccupied.
I don’t think it is just me who has days and weeks that are crowded and full of noise. Can God speak in the midst of those? For sure, I don’t want to limit God. But I will say that too often God speaks in a quiet voice and our lives drown out his voice.
I’ve made a commitment to spend 5 to 10 minutes a day in silence and solitude for the next 4 weeks, starting this past Monday. I have ZERO IDEA how I’m going to do it, but I’m going to try. I’m excited to see how this runs into my ministry at Sunset and changes my relationship with Christ.
“By periodically distancing ourselves from schedules, noises, and crowds, we become less captivated by the demands and expectations of others and more captivated by the purposes of God” (Kenneth Boa).
Are you doing anything to quiet down enough to hear God’s quiet voice?
Creative Chaos @ Ragamuffin Soul and Watercooler Wednesdays @ Ethos.
Before someone emails me about how my post has anything creative in it…let me answer. I’m interested to see how me making a conscience effort to be still before God daily, integrates into music ministry at my church. Every worship ministry I’ve been a part of does a great job of making noise. I wonder what kind of creative ways we can draw people to God to hear his quiet voice.
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Tyler Braun.
5-10 minutes per week? per day?
whoops…I changed it. Per day, everyday for 4 weeks.
I could tell you were having a hard time, you even wrote your post in codes….
Going to that Monastery was all about that…you should totally do that sometime. I know you said your dad did that regularly…its pretty intense.
Every morning I spend at least 10 – 15 minutes in total silence near a window telling the Lord what I’m grateful for and requesting for how I hope the day will go and what will be accomplished. Many times I will be gardening on the property and I will hear in my heart that I need to stop and “understand the moment”. Literally … there are times when tears flow. The connection between nature and human is very powerful.
glad you’re taking the class… I’m pleading for a balance between outward and interior activities as both the model of our Lord, and the means for a vibrant and sustainable faith. Maybe check out the book I wrote on the subject: o2 Breathing New Life into Faith
Love your blog…
I am not – but I’m pretty sure I need to…
The ringing in my ears is so loud that I don’t think I’ll never have silence again. If not ringing, then it’s a song. Here, let me help you…”It’s a small world after all…” When the music fades…When I get close to silence it’s pretty hard to quiet the rest of the speaking voices in my head. No, I’m not crazy. I’m being figurative. Lest anyone misunderstands. It’s difficult for me to “Be still and know…”
That said, I’m trying to take more walks alone. 1 hours seems good for me. The “voice” of God is still a mystery. But what is life without a good mystery.
Tyler
Solitude and Silence have been – to quote Henri Nouwen I believe – the furnace of my own spiritual transformation. Some of it has been by choice – quarterly retreats where I go hours and hours and never speak to anyone and I don’t take my ipod or laptop, no tv etc. Some has been my phase of life. My children are older, two are away in college and my husband is gone ALOT. So I am home alone much of the time.
Quietness helps my soul to settle. Being still and by myself and without “noise” causes me to be able to let the very real distracting noise and busyness of life settle and die down so that I can truly hear the voice of God – and have more than a 2 minute conversation with Him.
In silence and solitude I have time, space and quiet to wrestle with God and see myself more clearly. I come face to face with myself – the good, the bad, etc. I no longer use other things to distract – it’s just me and the Lord.
I’d recommend these books:
1) Invitation to Solitude and Silence – Ruth Haley Barton
2) Sacred Rhythms – same author
3) Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership – same author
All have great teaching on this topic. Ruth leads my retreat group – wonderful woman with deep insights into this topic.
So go Tyler, find a quiet place and let the noise of life die down so you can clearly hear the voice of the Lord and lead and live out of that word. I encourage you brother!
This is one I struggle with often.
I struggled with trying to carve out time to spend time with Him. I truly had the desire in my heart, I in my earthly flesh just couldn’t seem to make it happen read: I was trying to do it in my power).
I am ashamed to say, there have been times in my life when God is trying to tell me ‘Be still and know that I AM…” and I have ignored Him.
So, I finally just sincerely asked God to help me find the time.
Now I know that when I wake up inexplicably in the early morning (or middle of the night) I know it’s time to praise God and then wait on Him.
Today was one of those moments.
It is so amazing to me that the God of the universe would want to spend time alone with me. More importantly, why wouldn’t I want to spend time alone with God?
Thank you Tyler, for being so open and honest about your faith journey. I know you will be blessed.
Great write up. And I think our entire generation will resonate with your words, this need for silence and stillness, but the abnormality it has in our lives.
Henri Nouwen has written a few splendid things about this topic, saying something to the effect that we are too often occupied with our past or preoccupied with our future, but never present.
The past and future only exist in my head. This present moment is all that really is. Sometimes it takes three hours under a tree to figure that out.
Thanks for sharing this.
[...] though, I read a couple posts from a blog I subscribe to recently here and here about silence and solitude. It really struck me how much I enjoy being alone yet there is [...]