The Power of Solitude: Hearing the Voice of GodSample

Day 2: The Place of Solitude

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."– Mark 1:35 (NIV)

Solitude is the price for consecration, and consecration is a prerequisite for power. There's always a solitary season that precedes the rise of any mighty vessels of God. Jesus retreated to the wilderness after his baptism. Moses fled to the wilderness where he encountered God, and David spent most of his formative years in the wilderness alone.

In our ever-busy and noisy world, the voice of God competes with millions of other voices, impulses and stimuli. The human brain receives about 11 million bits of information per second, most of which are filtered out by the reticular activating system (RAS). Taking time out to hear from God is not a mundane or inconsequential exercise; it's a necessity for an effective Christian life.

Have you ever been in a conversation, and while talking, someone abruptly interrupted you, and you lost your train of thought? I guessed you have. The point is that certain atmospheres and environments are not conducive for a deep communion with God.

Solitude is a purposeful separation, a deliberate time off to quiet the noise around you. In a world of digital connectivity, where almost everything competes for your attention, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and distracted by seemingly significant issues. However, the voice of God should take precedence over every other thing. All activities and engagements that come in the way of our time with God should be secondary.

We have never had so many mediums and channels of communication in history as we have today. Think of the numerous social media apps and platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, X, Twitch, to name a few). We are drowning in information but starved of wisdom and clarity. We know so much of what doesn't matter but so little of what really counts.

We fill our days with work, social interactions, entertainment, and endless information, yet we often feel spiritually empty. When we practice solitude, it helps us to declutter and filter the voices around us.

Starting today, become intentional about taking time off; call it a retreat with God. Away from the crowd, away from the noise, and even sometimes away from friends and family. If Jesus needed solitude, you and I sure need it as well.