Since returning from our Spiritual Rhythms Retreat, I want to implement the practice of silence and solitude. I’ve actually already started this by practicing silence and solitude yesterday afternoon. During our retreat, we practiced six hours of this, and it was very eye-opening to me. Looking around and seeing nothing but trees, hearing the birds chirp and the squirrel’s scamper was very refreshing.
I came into that time thinking I had to always be doing something; studying my bible, praying, meditating, etc. But I learned that at the heart of this spiritual discipline is contentment with who God is, His nature and what He says about me. Those six hours and my time yesterday are showing me how hurried my life can be and how restful it is to just slow down.
True soul rest comes from God alone.
The psalmist writes, “I am at rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him” (Psalms 62:1, CSB). I also notice that prayer flows a lot easier and more genuinely after being alone for a few hours. Yesterday I had a solid time of prayer, but instead of just praying from my mind, I used Scripture as a guide. I started with Psalm 8, praising and glorifying God, then I practiced confession before Him using Psalm 51, then I prayed through some gospel passages like Romans 5. I thanked Him for all He has done for me.
Finally, after spending much of my time in those areas, I made supplications to Him. But what I found was that after reminding myself of how great God really is and all He has truly done for me, I didn’t have much to ask for. Another reason I want to implement this practice is that it makes my interactions with others more genuine. After solitude yesterday, I came back into my relationships with people with more clarity. I found it easier to listen to them and be present. Practically, I want to implement a long period of solitude once a week, ideally on Sundays, but I would also like to see a daily act of solitude in the mornings to start my day off right.
Joseph Ward, Class of 2027
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