solitude 2

"Without solitude, it is virtually impossible to live a spiritual life. Solitude begins with a time and a place for God, and Him alone. If we really believe not only that God exists, but also that He is actively present in our lives~~healing, teaching and guiding~~we need to set aside a time and a space to give Him our undivided attention. Jesus says, "Go to your private room and when you have shut your door, pray to the Father who is in that secret place." [Matthew 6:6]

~Henri Nouwen

solitude

"Be still, and know that I am God..."

~Psalms 46:10 [NIV]

"Solitude is one of the deepest disciplines of the spiritual life because it crucifies our need for importance and prominence. Everyone--including ourselves at first--will see our solitude as a waste of good time. We are removed from 'where the action is.' That, of course, is exactly what we need. In silence and solitude God slowly but surely frees us from our egomania.

In time we come to see that the really important action occurs in solitude. Once we have experienced God at work in our soul, all the blare and attention of the world seems like a distant and fragmentary echo. Only then are we able to enter the hustle and bustle of today's machine civilization with perspective and freedom."

~Richard J. Foster