One of the spiritual disciplines that I teach about is solitude. It is a discipline of abstinence. That means I intentionally refrain from doing something, in this case, being around people. I will be completely honest with you, I did not like being in solitude. The first night, when I would have normally been tucking my kids into bed, I was alone. I started to pace and I started to just long for the company or the voice of someone else.
So instead of giving in to the urge to call Kelli, I began to worship God. For over an hour I just poured out my heart to God in worship. It was a good thing there were no other people staying in the cabins around me. I turned up the music and I sang out loud with all that I am. Instead of relying on other people for my energy (which is the definition of an extrovert) I found my strength and comfort in my relationship with God.
I truly believe that I would not have had that level of intense worship if I was not practicing the spiritual discipline of solitude. If I would have just tried to do this time with God at home, it would not have been anything like what I experienced in those woods. I didn't bring an agenda that night for God to fulfill. I didn't ask God to show me anything or to say anything to me. I just came as a sinner. I knelt before the throne of God and proclaimed that my Heavenly Father is God and I am not.
I slept amazingly well that first night.
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Chris Whitehead
Chris Whitehead
“If I acted crazy, I did it for God; If I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.” – Paul
Copyright © 2009 One of the Pastors at Charter Oak Church All rights reserved.
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4 comments:
Good for you!
Where'd you stay, anyway?
Isn't it amazing! I have been in the practice of taking a day per month where I go away with God. My Bible, my journal, a pen and that is all. No cell phone, no books, nothing else. I spend 7-8 hours praying, reading the Word and LISTENING!
Glad you did this.
Tom,
I know your schedule and the fact that you can carve out a day a month to pray, read, and listen to God is incredible. As I was at the cabin I thought it would be a good practice to continue, but I also realized with the speed I do life, it will take heroic discipline to make it happen. We will have to talk some time about how you first worked it in to your regular monthly routine.
Chris, it was my board of directors that insisted on it. Sometimes God has to work through others to get us to listen. The one thing that was shared with me was that if Jesus could go off to find time by himself with his father then how could my schedule be so busy that I can't find time to be with my heavenly father alone once a month. How can one resist that?
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