Today, I have the unique opportunity to share a guest
post from a wonderful author, Keri Wyatt Kent. Please enjoy!
Solitude
A guest post by Keri Wyatt Kent
Let’s consider a counter-intuitive truth: time alone
can ease our loneliness.
The practice of solitude is not mere isolation, but
time alone with God. We forsake
others, for a time, to come away with our Beloved.
The very thought may frighten us: we live in sometimes
palpable isolation, even with the pseudo-companionship of television, social
media, and the crowds around us. In solitude, we bravely face what we’ve been
unconsciously avoiding: the intensity of our loneliness. In so doing, we
experience the furious, piercing love of God who is our only real hope of
escape from that loneliness.
Solitude creates a boundary, within which we might
pray, mourn, rejoice, read Scripture, or simply be silent. We can speak to God,
or attentively listen for the voice that is always there, but too often drowned
out by the noise of our lives. In solitude we are alone and still, and must
face the fact that the world keeps spinning without our assistance.
Jesus spent time alone for his own sake, but also to
serve as a spiritual role model for his disciples—both then and now. He went to
lonely places, in part, to show you how
to do it. The gospels whisper over and over of Jesus waking before dawn to
withdraw, to sneak off for a few moments alone.
Yet even Jesus sometimes found it difficult to escape
the demands of daily life, of others: “At daybreak, Jesus went out
to a solitary place. The people were looking
for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving
them.” (Luke 4:42)
Any close relationship, if it is to grow, requires time
spent with the beloved. We nurture our relationship with Jesus by spending time
alone with him—whether it is a few minutes each morning, or a longer solitude
time on a weekly or even monthly basis. Ours is not a religious obligation but
a response to love: the love within our hearts, and the persistent love of
Jesus that beckons us to come away with him.
Luke, ever the fastidious observer, connects two truths
that give us the “why” of solitude: “Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds
of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to
lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:15,1 6) The gospel writer links the demands of the
crowd with Jesus’ response—withdrawal into solitude.
Imagine if
Jesus had a publicist. Time alone would not be on the agenda: he’d be advised
to build his platform, use the momentum he was gaining, add a few more
appearances to his calendar, and to be more polite to the Pharisees. Solitude
would likely not have been a strategy for ministry effectiveness. But that’s
the paradoxical power of this discipline: by doing nothing, we are
supernaturally enabled to do much.
As we spend
time with no one except God, where we are reminded that it is his love for us—not
the accolades of the crowd or the adrenalin rush of accomplishment—that truly
matters. Solitude inoculates us against the spiritual malady of relying too
much on the approval of others.
In other words, our priorities can be more easily
aligned with God’s when we spend time in solitude. As God says through the
Psalmist: “Be still, and
know that I am God;” (Psalm 46:10)
Some of us
seem to have only two speeds: overdrive and collapse. We’re honestly afraid
that if we stop running, and just be, we will fall asleep. That’s fine—it’s
even biblical. Elijah began a very transformational time of solitude with a
little nap (see 1 Kings 19). It may be that is exactly what you need.
Solitude is
foundational to all spiritual practice. It is one of the few disciplines that
every Christian needs—indeed, every human being, no matter their beliefs, would
benefit from it. When the distractions are set aside, we come face to face with
who we are, who God is. We can no longer hide behind the flurry of activity
that keeps us swimming along the surface of life. When we are still, and alone,
we are able to dive deep, and be lifted up by God’s presence. We begin to live
into the truth that we are deeply loved.
About the Author:
Keri Wyatt Kent is a freelance writer and speaker,
with ten books to her credit. She writes and speaking about slowing down,
simplifying and listening to God. Her latest book is ‘Deeply Loved: 40 Ways in 40 Days to Experience the Heart of Jesus.’ To learn
more, join Keri on a 40 day Lent study of her book on Facebook or
by following her on Twitter (@KeriWyattKent #DeeplyLoved).
Through her writing and speaking, Keri Wyatt Kent helps
people to connect authentically with God and to be spiritually transformed. Her
books include 'Rest: Livingin Sabbath Simplicity.' In addition, she is the coauthor of several others. Keri frequently
travels around the country to speak and lead retreats, and she is a regular contributor
to several magazines, websites, and blogs. Keri is a member of Willow Creek
Community Church, where she has taught, led groups, and volunteered in a
variety of ministries for more than two decades. She and her husband, Scot,
live with their teenage son and daughter in Illinois.
Here is the description of ‘Deeply Loved:’
Jesus loves you.
That profound fact has been changing lives around the world for
centuries. Yet, there are days when you don’t experience this completely in
your own life. So, how do you get to the very core of that statement on a deep,
personal level?
Keri Wyatt Kent wants to help you fully experience the heart of
Jesus’ love in Deeply Loved. Using the gospel stories of Jesus, reflection, and personal stories, Kent will
guide you through 40 days of how to create space in your life for Jesus to show
up and love you. Deeply.
You can order this deeply impactful book here.
Thanks to Keri for this powerful guest post! I have a copy, and
look forward to starting to use it during my morning devotionals!
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