Spiritual Disciplines (5)

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. Mark 1.35

Alone with the Lord
You may have noticed, as we have been working our way through the various disciplines designed to strengthen and shape our souls, that the demands of time and effort tend to increase. Prayer is hard enough to sustain, especially throughout the day. But add to that reading and study of Scripture, and even more time and effort must be invested. Then meditation demands more of us still, that we slow down, go deeper in prayer and the revelation of God, and wait for Him to teach and transform us by His Word and Spirit.

Is it really possible to carve out the time, learn the skills, and make the ongoing investment necessary to benefit from these disciplines?

Of course it is, as believers throughout the ages have shown. But we will have to work at it. Learning disciplines such as these requires that we wrest our bodies out of their wonted ways and subject them to new regimens of attention and effort. If we really want our bodies to become living temples of the Lord, focal points of His Kingdom mission and glory, then we’ll have to give ourselves to this effort diligently, and with the help and encouragement of Christian friends.

And the discipline of solitude can help to reinforce and improve all these other disciplines by which we shape our souls for Kingdom living.

Definition
What do we mean by the “discipline of solitude”? In brief, solitude is just what it suggests – being alone with the Lord for an extended period of time, time in which you have nothing else to do but wait with and on the Lord.

Jesus practiced this discipline, but not with the kind of frequency He did other disciplines. On occasion Jesus would slip away, often before the break of day, in order to be alone with His Father in some out-of-the-way place and time. We don’t really know what He did then, but we can imagine that, in these times of being alone with the Lord, Jesus must have reviewed His calling and plans, and refreshed Himself in the presence and promises of God.

The discipline of solitude provides an opportunity to bring all our other spiritual disciplines together in one extended period of waiting on the Lord, free of distractions, so that He can speak to us to affirm, clarify, redirect, and refresh us in His will.

Let me share a few practices which I have found helpful for gaining the benefit of this important spiritual discipline.

Guidelines
First, times of solitude should be infrequent, but regular. Plan for an extended time alone with the Lord at least once a quarter. Set aside a morning or an afternoon, and find a place other than where you usually meet with the Lord. I have found being outside to be a most welcoming environment for solitude, although inside in a comfortable setting can also work. The important thing is to set aside at least an hour, and, hopefully, more than that, for being alone with the Lord.

Second, focus on something ordinary and familiar with a view to discerning the upholding power and presence of Christ in it. It is the glory of God to conceal Himself in everyday objects – a cup of coffee, a tree, the changing landscape of clouds, a stand of wildflowers, the architecture of your backyard deck (Prov. 25.2). In focusing on such an object, try to discern what makes it distinct – its shape color, function or use, placement, inherent systems, and so forth. Turn the object over and over in your mind, examining it carefully as a gift and revelation of God. As you study the object, contemplate what it reveals about the wisdom, goodness, beauty, majesty, or power of God. Talk with Him as you do, asking Him to make Himself and His glory known to you.

Once you have begun to discern the stamp of the Lord in the object of your focus, call to mind Scriptures that further elaborate whatever you have discerned. If it’s the beauty of the Lord that most impresses you, for example, think on Psalm 27 or Psalm 45, or Jesus’ transfiguration before the disciples on the Mount, in which the beauty of our King is extolled. Talk with the Lord about His beauty and how it makes you feel, and listen as He counsels you concerning the implications of His beauty for your daily walk with Him.

You might sing a hymn or praise song to the Lord during your time of solitude. Mostly, however, you’ll simply observe, listen, search the Scriptures, commune with the Lord, and wait, wait, wait for Him to make His presence known. Take your time. Focus on your chosen object, and listen carefully to whatever the Lord wants to reveal or remind you of concerning Himself and His will for you. Your time of solitude will require you to use patient observation as well as the spiritual disciplines that pertain to prayer, the Word, and meditation. And if you’re patient, and your time of solitude yields the fruit of God’s presence, assurance, and direction, you’ll find that each of these individual disciplines has been strengthened for their normal, daily use.

Make time to be alone with the Lord. In His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16.11), and we can know a happy measure of these if only we are willing to take the time and wait.

Next steps: Plan a time of solitude. Talk with a church leader or pastor about your plans, and see what suggestions he or she has to help you in this effort. Share the results of your time of discipline with your pastor or church leader.

T. M. Moore

This week’s study, Spiritual Disciplines, is part 3 of a 7-part series on The Disciplined Life, and is available as a free download by clicking here. We have prepared a special worksheet to help you begin getting your disciplines in proper shape for seeking the Kingdom. Write to T. M. at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for you free PDF of the “Disciplined Life Worksheet.”

A rightly-disciplined life requires a Kingdom vision, and that vision is centered on Jesus Christ exalted. T. M. has prepared a series of meditations on the glorious vision of Christ, based on Scripture and insights from the Celtic Christian tradition. Order your copy of Be Thou My Vision by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.