Solitude and silence

So glad to be back home in Texas. Thanks for your prayers. Susan and I are so thankful to be reunited.

On the plane rides home, I read more of Ruth Barton's excellent book, Sacred Rhythms. She was the main speaker at the retreat. I heard her also in a class at the conference, where she talked about teams of spiritual leaders becoming communities. Very good.

The chapter in this book that I read and pondered yesterday was on solitude -- which I had a lot of these past eight days. Here's an excerpt:

"I am aware of longings that run much deeper than what technology can address...I long to be one who waits and listens deeply for the still, small voice of God, even if it means I must unplug from technology in order to become quiet enough to hear...

One of the fundamental purpose of solitude is to give us a concrete way of entering into such stillness, so that God can come in and do what only God can do."

At the end of each chapter is a practice section, where Ruth leads the reader through an exercise in a certain discipline. As I was flying from Dallas to Abilene, I practiced this time of solitude for about 30 minutes, just being still before God. Not trying to figure out how to solve certain problems in my life or to plan out how to implement at my ministry some of the things I learned at the conference. Rather, I just rested before the Lord, giving Him all these things and asking Him to work for me. It was a time of surrender. Of letting go. Of not trying to figure everything out.

You might try this exercise this week. Find a quite place where you don't have to do anything but be still before God and letting Him hear the cries of your heart...and to listen to His heart. You might meditate on this verse, which Ruth Barton suggested: Exodus 14:13-14.

I'd love to hear from you sometime what you heard from the Lord and how He changed you during this alone time with Him....and beyond.

In His peace,

Jim