Silence & Solitude

I gained a new appreciation and understanding today of the spiritual discipline of silence and solitude. I have been reading a book by Christian George entitled Godology, and one of his chapters touches upon this often neglected and forgotten discipline of being quiet and still before God. Our world is a busy, noisy place, and our lives are filled with constant motions and notions about how to spend our time wisely. Taking the time to be quiet and still before the Lord gets lost in the shuffle, and we miss the blessing that a moment of solitude brings.

Today I was traveling home from the graveside service of Benjie Thompson, who was buried in Jenkins County at Elam Baptist Church, when I took advantage of the call to solitude. Benjie’s death was so sad, but this 40 year old father had struggled for several years with a brain tumor and cancer. I was honored to have been asked by his family to conduct his funeral. As I got into my car in Jenkins County, I quickly turned on the air conditioning to the full-blast-make-it-like-the-artic setting. A few miles down the road, I reached over to the radio and scanned a few of the local stations. But as I ran through the radio settings, I noticed the beautiful blue sky above me that held billowing clouds. The green trees lined the horizon, and the scenery was just beautiful as I drove south back toward Statesboro. I decided to shut the radio off, take in the wonderful view, and remind myself of God’s blessings that were all around me. I tried to seize the 20 minutes or so that my drive would take as a moment of solitude with me and the Lord. Since I was traveling about 60 miles per hour, I wasn’t very “still” before the Lord, but I was quiet before Him. I sometimes sing in the car—not with the radio, just with me and whatever song comes to mind—but I decided to enjoy the silence (something which my family appreciates from time to time too…). It was a nice drive home. Silent before the Lord. Looking at the beautiful scenery of His creation. Remembering His greatness and goodness in my life.

Perhaps we all need more silence and a better discipline for solitude. That doesn’t mean we have to hike into the mountains or spend 40 days in a desolate desert. Maybe it means we cut the radio off. Maybe it means we watch less television. Maybe it means finding a few moments in any ordinary day to steal away with our God—remembering His creation, remembering His purposes, and remembering His love and grace. I did it while traveling down the highway. Perhaps you can find a way to be still before God too.