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OCTOBER: SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE OF SILENCE & SOLITUDE

OCTOBER: Spiritual discipline of SILENCE & SOLITUDE

“Throughout church history most of the master teachers of the way of Jesus have agreed: silence and solitude are the most important of all the spiritual disciplines.” – John Mark Comer

We live in the nosiest culture in the history of the world, and all that noise is changing us. From the moment we wake up and first pick up our phones until the moment we finally crash out of after a few hours of Netflix, we are assaulted with the noises of fear, anger, greed, lust, and pride. It’s no wondering all those things are so often found in us, and we tend to reflect the culture of fear and outrage in which we live.

However, the way of Jesus calls us to something different. Could it be that The Good Life Jesus offers us does not reflect a culture of fear and outrage, but rather results in disciples of Jesus being people of love and peace? How do we block out the noise of our culture and experience the transforming presence of Jesus daily?

The answer is in the practices of Jesus known as Silence and Solitude. Join us this month as we follow Jesus’ example and daily spend time in the beauty and mystery found in times of Silence and Solitude.

Below you’ll find this month’s teaching video, as well as other resources to help you in the practices of Silence and Solitude.

5 movements for times of SILENCE & SOLITUDE

Note: These movements are not a linear list to check off, but rather principles to keep in mind and to remind yourself of during times of Silence and Solitude.

    1. Relax.
      Times in Silence and Solitude should be restful. Think of it as settling back into God’s presence like a comfy chair. Breathe deep and slow. Push to-do lists and anxious thoughts to the edges of your mind. Think of these moments as something Jesus has been excitedly waiting for, and He is so glad that you are here. Breathing-prayers are extremely helpful here. A few to consider:

      • As you breathe in, pray: “Lord Jesus” and as you breathe out, pray: “Have mercy on me.”
      • As you breathe in, pray: “Speak Lord” and as you breathe out, pray: “Your servant is listening.”
      • As you breathe in, pray: “Jesus, I’m weak” and as you breathe out, pray: “But you are strong in me.”

    2. Detach.
      The goal of Silence and Solitude is to detach (let go of) the worries, anxieties, desires and needs of your daily life. Don’t worry, all that stuff will still be there when you are done. But for now, try to let it go. Detach from the surface level stuff so that you can attach to the thing you truly desire most: Jesus’ presence.

    3. Look.
      Times of Silence and Solitude are an amazing opportunity to simply look at Jesus, by which we mean to focus on an aspect of him. Pick a characteristic of Jesus you want focus on today. Maybe His holiness, or perhaps how merciful He is. You can remind yourself of his power, or maybe His nearness to you. Spend this time not looking at yourself, your shortcomings, or failures, but instead looking at Jesus.

    4. Listen.

      Silence and Solitude are not moments to bring your prayer requests and lists to God (there’s plenty of other time for that!). Instead, use these moments to listen for God’s voice. Are there words, Bible verses, pictures or images coming to mind? If so, pray over them and ask God if He is speaking something to you.

    5. Love.

      This is the goal of Silence and Solitude: That we are reminded of Jesus’ love for us, that we communicate our love to Him, and that we carry His love to those around us. I always end times of Silence and Solitude by doing a breathing prayer that simply says: “Help me receive your love and share it with others.” Be convinced of how much Jesus loves you and ask Him to make you into a person of love.

RESOURCES