Solitude & Silenceნიმუში

Do you have a daily devotional time with God? I mean, apart from reading your daily Chamatkar, of course 😉. If so, what does that time look like–prayer, Bible study, journaling or worship?

I’d love to invite you on a deeper journey: the practice of solitude and silence. This isn’t new or trendy; it is a Biblical, spiritual discipline practiced by Jesus Himself:

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” – Luke 5:16

“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

In theory, solitude and silence is simple–just sitting still, alone, being quiet, and focusing on God. But in practice, it is a lot harder than it seems. Our minds get distracted by all kinds of thoughts: to-do lists, questions, memories, etc.

It’s like a jar of murky creek water; if you set it down long enough, the dirt eventually settles at the bottom, and the water becomes clear.

Likewise, when we are still in God’s presence long enough, the waters of our souls will become clear, and we can experience a deeper level of peace, clarity and rest in God.

“Be still, and know that I am God” – Psalms 46:10

Let’s practice this together!

1. Settle into a comfortable yet alert position. For example, sit down with open hands, but don’t lie down and risk falling asleep.
2. Eliminate distractions. Turn off your phone and music, etc.
3. Set a modest goal—it is harder than you think! Set a 10 or 15-minute timer to start.
4. Ask God to give you a simple prayer phrase, for example, “Here I am”. Repeat that sentence to refocus on God when your mind wanders.
5. Close with the Lord’s prayer and resist judging your time by how much you felt or experienced.

Hey! You are a Chamatkar.

Jenny Mendes

P.S. The texts of this reading plan come from the daily email Chamatkar Every Day. If you want to receive daily encouragement, I invite you to subscribe to Chamatkar Every Day.