Solitude

There is a big drive for solitude and meditation in Christian thought today. I have run into that train of thought in discussions with many of the guys I interact with as part of my Christian walk. It also came up in discussions at a Bible Study that my wife and I are enjoying.

Morton T. Kelsey says the following in his book, Adventure Inward:

“As long as my mind is raging with thoughts, ideas, plans, and fears, I cannot listen significantly to God or any other dimensions of reality.”

I have postulated in times past that there are some generational aspects to how we, as individuals, worship God in the quietness of our own hearts. Many times I have heard this time of devotion referred to as a “quiet time”. But, like many folks in the younger generation, I can’t stand it when it is too quiet. My daughter is typical of many. She can study, watch TV and listen to her iPod while talking to me on her cell phone. I can’t do all of that like she does. But I need some kind of background noise.

I am not a big fan of quiet “quiet times”. The joke in my family growing up was that the reason I never wanted to be quiet or alone was because my conscience would speak to me in that solitude. And that was not a good thing because of all the misbehaving and trouble I got in!

But there’s that word -- Solitude. Is solitude a requirement in order to have intimate times with God? I don’t think so. At least I hope it isn’t. Because I despise solitude. I find nothing inherently Holy in quietness and solitude.

Music is one of the ways that I worship and reflect on God in times of personal devotion. The Holy Spirit speaks to me most frequently through the words of hymns and, more recently, even some contemporary Christian music. My new Zune has become an integral part of my “quiet time”. Although it is not all that quiet. You can’t listen to “Then Came the Morning” by The Cathedrals with the volume on low! You have to let that one play at a volume in your earphones close the decibel level of a 747 jet taking off from Bush Intercontinental Airport.

So, here is one more thought to share with you. It is from Andrew Murray’s book, With Christ in the School of Prayer. He says:

The desert initiates us into the life of the spirit by helping us to discover who we most deeply are. To follow Christ means that we must let go of excessive attachments to passing pleasures and possessions, to ploys of autonomous power, to tangible goods as if they were ultimate. Christ asks us to abandon our idols, whatever they may be, and to love Him with our entire being.”

I couldn’t agree with that more.

I just think it is a little easier with a soundtrack of good gospel music!

What do you think?