My solitude is all mine!
Earlier in the year, a book that my men's coffee group went through was Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. He details out the central spiritual practices of the Christian faith, what they look like, and how you can practically apply them into your life. I found the book to be really interesting, and felt like it could be one of those "reference books" that you just seem to come back to every now and again. One chapter in particular stuck out to me, and it was on Solitude. Naturally, Foster writes about how Jesus used times of solitude to hear from the Father, and about how God uses the Discipline of Solitude to promote growth in our personal walks with Him.
But...
I'm just going to go out and say it: I view my solitude selfishly most of the time. Do I take advantage of the quiet times I have? Probably not. Between a full day at work, coming home to a wife and kids, I don't get much alone time. So when that does happen, my first instinctual reaction is to be like, "Let me do what I want to do!". A question that kept coming back to me as I was reading (and a lot lately) has been:
Do I view my "solitude" selfishly or as a way to experience God personally?
I'll admit--that is definitely a struggle for me. Without fail, when I have some "me time" it always used to do something that involves just me. I know I could take advantage of the quiet times God gives me to know Him more. So, what's next? I think we all need to evaluate our hearts during times like these. I know I do. What steps can I take to intentionally foster solitude in my life? I like how Foster encourages you to take advantage of the "little solitudes" that fill our day. For me: every morning before the rest of the house is awake and my 30 minute commute to work - two small examples of ways to intentionally create space for that.
Another thing: Foster says that the fruits of solitude are increased sensitivity and compassion for others. And, I think everyone would agree-that is a good thing.
Side note: Here are some good thoughts on solitude/alone-time from Charles Lee and Michael Hyatt.
How about you--do you feel this way during your "alone time"? What are your thoughts on solitude?