(Audio version; Music: "Who Am I" by: Casting Crowns and "Call My Name" by: Third Day)
Introduction
Last
week I introduced you, or maybe reintroduced you, to the spiritual discipline
of Silence and Solitude. We looked
at a number of reasons why the practice should be a regular discipline of your
spiritual life as a means of facilitating physical, mental and emotional
restoration, worship, intercession and confession. But most importantly to
experience and enjoy the connectedness we have with Jesus. For all the
potential distractions in Jesus’ life during His earthly ministry, He never
neglected intentional times of Silence
and Solitude He shared with the Father. So if we insist on calling
ourselves followers of Jesus Christ, we must be intentional about pursuing
times of Silence and Solitude when
we can draw close to Christ, our Savior and Friend.
The
practice of Silence and Solitude has
a long history of salutary uses and unfortunately a number of abuses as well.
However, like other salutary practices that have been abused from time to time,
that shouldn’t be a reason for abandoning the practice altogether.
A
Brief History of the Uses and Abuses of Silence and Solitude
Historically, the disciplines of
silence and solitude have been variously used as an appropriate means of
spiritual formation or less appropriately as a means to escape the difficulty
associated with living in a sinful world. Philip Koch in his book, Solitude-A Philosophical Encounter,
writes, “Criticisms have been launched on the grounds of prudence, sanity, and
morality: solitude is empty, pointless, vain, foolish, lonely, and dangerous;
it is unnatural, morbid, and pathological; it is self-indulgent, selfish,
escapist, and evasive of social responsibility.”[1]
Certainly there is some truth to these criticisms but they can hardly be
considered true in all cases. No doubt there are some who have used the
monastic life, for example, as a means to escape the responsibilities of their
lives. However, it is going too far to say it is pointless and foolish in all
cases. Tension results from the competing claims known as the “Active Life”
versus the “Contemplative Life.” Koch writes, “The conflict between these two
‘lives’ is already discernable in…Greco-Roman culture and Judeo-Christian
religion. Succeeding centuries articulated and elaborated the conflict, reframing
it to address their own particular concerns.”[2]
Greco-Roman Culture
From approximately 600-400 BC
(the classical period) there was an emphasis on the total involvement of the
citizenry in the affairs of the culture and derision for those who did not as
witnessed by the saying, “A man who takes no concern for the good of the polis
we hold to be good for nothing.”[3]
Philosophers during that same time, however, identified solitary contemplation
as the highest human good.
Centuries
later in Rome, the debate turned to a life of public service as one option and
retirement to the country seat as the other option. “Virgil, Pliny, and Seneca
also celebrated the leisure, safety, rest, and freedom for study that solitary
withdrawl provided—although the country estates they considered retreats were
certainly not places of utter solitude, dependent as they were upon serfs and
slaves.”[4]
Other philosophers of this era believed that humanity is not specifically
independent of each other or the state and therefore have a distinct
responsibility to live in service and community to both.
Judeo-Christian Religion
The
Hebrew people were essentially a model of communal relations. As such, there is
great emphasis on the dynamic of living together. However, the practice of solitude
is hardly a foreign concept in this context. Furthermore, solitude seems to be
a natural part of living in relation to the God who adopted and set apart the
nation of Israel for himself. For example, Moses lived in relation to all the
people of Israel as their leader yet spent forty days on Mt. Sinai in solitude
with God to receive the Ten Commandments. In fact, the Old Testament is replete
with examples of prophets and leaders of Israel leading and living within the
community of Israel yet separating themselves for times to be in communion with
God. Some believe that many of the Psalms were written by King David while he
was in the solitude of a cave. The prophet Elijah and Hosea and many other
prophets also spent time alone seeking God’s direction and comfort.
The
pattern continued during the New Testament era as we see John the Baptist led
into the desert for forty days to inaugurate his ministry and similarly how
Jesus was led into the desert for forty days after His baptism to prepare Him
for His earthly ministry. The pattern continued as Paul spent time in the
desert of Arabia after his conversion. This continued as “The Desert Fathers
would seek to replicate this pattern of trial and enlightenment in solitude.”[5]
During
the period between the first four centuries after Christ and the fourteenth
century, there was a substantial breakdown in law, and consequently in
security, in Europe and it became increasingly dangerous to be alone. A lone
person often fell prey to “robbers and Vikings.”[6]
During this same time, monasticism established itself firmly in the culture as
a safe means of seclusion. Interestingly, the debate between competing monastic
orders began to parallel the debate from the early Greco-Roman culture. “St.
Basil forbade his monks to retreat into solitude, insisting that “the life of
solitude violated the divine law of love and was injurious to the soul of the
solitary in nursing a sense of self-sufficiency and spiritual pride. St.
Benedict, on the other hand, still accorded the highest virtue to the
anchorite.”[7]
During
the period of the Enlightenment (18th century), philosophers tended
to frown on monastic practices. However, toward the end of the eighteenth
century and into the early Romantics period (late 18th to early 19th
century), the practice of solitude began to re-establish itself. The practice
focused primarily on self and essentially became a form of narcissism. During
this time the new frontier was the wilderness of America and the debate
continued as Puritans claimed that, “Frontiersmen who went alone into the great
woods were…beyond ‘the power of example and check of shame’ having ‘degenerated
altogether into the hunting state’ having become ‘no better than carnivorous
animals,’ they show that man ‘cannot live in solitude, he must belong to some
community bound by some ties.’”[8]
The debate in the
twentieth and twenty-first centuries continues yet in a very different context.
In the modern or postmodern capitalistic context, solitude would seem to be a
natural virtue associated with individualism. However, the pursuit of the
trappings associated with capitalistic cultures often conflict with the
principles of silence and solitude. Communist, socialist and dictatorial
cultures pose an interesting dichotomy to capitalistic cultures in that they
insist that society is so interrelated either directly or indirectly that
solitude is simply an illusion. It is interesting to note that often the people
in these cultural contexts are so oppressed that solitude is there only means of
relief. Consequently, those who have the natural opportunity to practice
silence and solitude often neglect that opportunity while those who live in a
context that discourages solitude clamor for its power of freedom.
The Practice of Silence and Solitude
Some people
practice silence and solitude as a vital element to their spiritual well-being
and even to their daily lives. Others wouldn’t dispute the value of both
practices but ultimately only like the idea of silence and solitude and
therefore only admire them from afar. This latter group of followers never
seems to get around to developing the practices for themselves probably for the
same reason that many of us don’t develop habits that are actually good for us!
However, here is some practical help for making silence and solitude more of a
reality and habit.
The battle of the mind.
If
you’re anything like me, the greatest battle you face in the practice of
silence and solitude is the battle of the mind. Specifically, the voices that
are constantly distracting you—either leading you to think about all you have
to do, or all the mistakes you’ve made, or how you’re wasting precious time
pursuing the futility of silence and solitude. Aside from simply being
accustomed to constant noise and activity, there is something far more sinister
going on. Remember a few weeks ago I told you that our battles aren’t against
flesh and blood but against the powers and principalities of this dark world?
Well that’s one of the things happening with the voices in your mind during
times of silence and solitude—Satan is doing everything he can to distract you
because he knows how dangerous you are to his cause when you are connected to
Jesus during times of silence and solitude. So how do you quiet the voices? Ask
Jesus to do that for you. Time and again we find Jesus in the gospels telling
the demons He encounters to shut-up when He wanted them to be quiet. He can do
the same thing with the voices in your mind.
Recognize the
occasional "minute retreats" each day for silence and solitude.
Richard Foster
writes, “The first thing we can do is to take advantage of the ‘little
solitudes’ that fill our day.”[9]
Trapped in a traffic jam or stopped at a traffic light, in an elevator, or in
the line at the drive-thru bank can become a "minute retreat" when
you consecrate it as a time of silence and solitude. Of course, the key is not
just taking a breath and settling down, as important as that is. It is looking
to Christ and listening to His Spirit. Take full advantage of these unexpected
opportunities given you and concentrate exclusively on Him and life in the
Spirit. “These tiny snatches of time are often lost to us. What a pity! They
can and should be redeemed. They are times for inner quiet, for reorienting our
lives like a compass needle. They are little moments that help us to be
genuinely present where we are.”[10]
Set aside a time
each day for outward silence and solitude in a quiet place.
This daily
devotional habit is not easy to develop because we lead busy lives and because
we have an enemy aware of the stakes involved. Our days are usually filled with
more than enough noise, plenty of hurry, and demanding people. Unless we plan for daily times of solitary silence
before God, these other things will rush in to fill our time like water into a sinking ship. David Runcorn writes, “When
Jesus taught the disciples to pray he was very practical. ‘When you pray, go
into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then
your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.’ (Matt. 6:6)”[11]
Those who practice silence and solitude on a daily basis are more likely to
discipline themselves to seize the occasional "minute retreats."
Ultimately, establishing a quiet place to practice silence and solitude
requires great intentionality—perhaps even some seemingly extreme measures.
Foster writes, “Homes are built constantly. Why not insist that a little inner
sanctuary be put into the plans, a small place where any family member could go
to be alone and silent? What’s to stop us? The money? We build elaborate
playrooms and family rooms and think it well worth the expense.”[12]
Try to get away
for a few extended times annually.
"Getting
away" for an extended time of silence and solitude may be as simple as
finding an empty room at church where you can spend an afternoon, an evening,
or a Saturday or it may involve spending a night or a weekend at a retreat
center, lodge, or cabin. On some of these occasions you may take only your
Bible and a notebook. On other occasions you might want to read a classical
book such as Augustine’s, Confessions,
or Thomas a Kempis’, Imitation of Christ.
Such retreats are a good time to plan and evaluate your goals. Foster writes,
“Four times a year withdraw from three to four hours for the purpose of
reorienting your life goals.”[13]
Although overnight getaways at distant places are wonderful, don't wait for
times when you can go like Elijah to Mt. Horeb for forty days before you start
practicing silence and solitude! It is important to remember that the practice
of silence and solitude is intended to be a discipline for where we live our
daily lives.
Application
Many of us
(including me) need to realize the addiction we have to noise. It's one thing
to turn on the TV, iPod, or radio to listen to while working out or doing other
chores, but it's another thing to habitually turn one of these on immediately
upon entering a room just to have sound! The advent of affordable, portable
sound systems (thanks Apple!), for instance, has been a mixed blessing. The
negative side is that we never have to be insulated from human voices. As a
result we are less frequently alone with our own thoughts and God's voice.
Consequently, we have a desperate need to learn and practice the disciplines of
Silence and Solitude. This has
certainly been my experience.
Richard Foster
writes, “We have become, as the early Church father Clement of Alexandria says,
like old shoes—all worn out except for the tongue. We live in a wordy world
with our sophisticated high-tech telecommunication systems. We now have the
dubious distinction of being able to communicate more and say less than any
civilization in history.”[14]
Ouch! That hurts because it is so very true in my case. In order to combat that
indictment, I began the formal and planned practice of Silence and Solitude during Lent many years ago.
I work alone and about
15 years ago I developed the habit of constantly listening to sports-talk
radio. It was completely normal for me to listen to sports-talk for 12-15 hours
a day. Every radio I own, whether in the car, in my office or on the work-site
was tuned to sports-talk. The object of my fast during Lent, many years ago,
was the radio. As ridiculous as that may sound to you, it was one of the
hardest fasts I have ever done. The first week of silence was crushing. I
couldn’t pray because there was no noise in my head. However, as the weeks
passed, the silence became a tremendous source of strength, consolation,
comfort and encouragement. When my father passed away, I desperately wanted
noise in my head to drown out the many confusing thoughts and emotions that
were trying to choke me. However, the discipline of silence and solitude forced
me into a posture of quiet surrender where God could comfort and transform me.
By doing so, I was able to release the conflicting emotions and thoughts surrounding
the death of my father and confront the ugliness that resided within me.
During that time
of fasting from sports-talk radio, I came to realize that I had been missing,
entirely, a crucial dimension in my relationship with God—hearing his voice
often and clearly. That’s not to say I didn’t prayed—on the contrary, I have
learned the discipline of praying without ceasing. However, I had filled my
life with so much noise that I couldn’t possibly hear anything God might be
saying to me. The practice of Silence
and Solitude has changed that for me. Considering some of the things God
spoke to me during my time of quiet contemplation were painful and hard to
accept, I could easily go back to filling my mind with noise to avoid more
difficult lessons. However, I have also heard God very clearly tell me how much
He loves me during those times of quiet solitude.
Your constant
distraction may not be sports-talk radio (I will grant you that’s odd), but maybe
yours is music or television or the internet (i.e. Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, etc?). See if there’s something you’re using to fill some time you
could be using to practice the valuable discipline of Silence and Solitude—I promise it will be worth it!
[1] Philip
Koch, Solitude-A Philosophical Encounter,
(Peru, IL, Open Court Publishing, 1994), p. 201.
[2] Ibid.,
p. 202.
[3] Ibid.,
p. 203.
[4] Ibid.,
p. 204.
[5] Ibid.,
p. 205.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.,
p. 214.
[9] Foster,
Richard. Celebration of Discipline-The
Path to Spiritual Growth, (HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY, 1998),
p. 105.
[10] Ibid.,
p. 106.
[11] Runcorn,
David. A Center of Quiet-Hearing God When
Life is Noisy, (Downers Grove, IL, InterVarsity Press, 1990), p. 6.
[12] Foster,
Celebration of Discipline, p. 106.
[13] Ibid.,
p. 107.
[14] Richard
Foster, Prayer-Finding the Heart’s True
Home, (New York, NY, HarperCollins Publishers, 1992), p. 155.
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