Being With Jesus: Solitude and Silence Part 2Sample

Solitude and Silence: Discerning God’s Will

God cares intimately about the details of your life.

Let that thought move from your mind down into your heart and out through your body. Let me say it again, the God of the universe who created heaven and earth and at the same time "knows the number of hairs on your head" wants to have an interactive, moment-by-moment relationship with you.

As His followers, we long to hear His voice above the noise of daily life. We are desperate for His guidance in all areas of our lives. And we yearn to know His will so that we might see the advancement of His kingdom here on earth.

The problem for most people isn't that they don't genuinely desire to hear from God; it's that they don't know how to posture their lives in a way that allows them to discern His still, small voice. Sadly, it isn't that God isn't speaking into our lives; it's that we aren't listening. More specifically, we aren't in a posture conducive to hearing from God.

Hearing from God requires being attentive to the presence of God. In order to be attentive to His presence, our role is to posture ourselves so God can quiet the inner noise in our minds and hearts. Quieting the inner noise in our minds and hearts begins with quieting the exterior noise in our physical environment. Without the regular practice of solitude and silence, it is virtually impossible to hear from God.

Alone in His presence, safely under the shelter of silence, Jesus no longer has to shout to get our attention. In this place, His voice doesn't have to compete with the exterior noise so prevalent in daily life. It is here that the guidance you and I seek becomes a natural overflow of an intimate relationship with Jesus.

Proverbs 16:9 says, "The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs [our] steps." Practicing solitude and silence creates the necessary environment for us to hear clearly from God, making it possible for Him to lead us along the path of life one step at a time. When we surrender each subsequent step, inviting God into the planning process, we can confidently move forward, trusting that we are in sync with His will. (See Psalms 37:23)

Today, lean into the practice of solitude and silence as an act of surrender to Jesus. As you do, intimacy will grow, and the guidance you seek will be given to you as a gift from a loving God who cares deeply about the details of your life.