Solitude & SilenceSample

When our son, Zac, fell ill, I found that my trusted methods for seeking God, for example, through prayer, intercession or worship, turned up empty. The pain from all the losses we had suffered left me stuck between desperately desiring God’s comfort and, at the same time, being upset over the fact that, even though I fully believed God could heal Zac, He hadn’t.

In this brokenness I began learning about solitude and silence. My “quiet” time was always filled with words–reading, writing, worshipping, praying–but my problem was that words were falling short. Desperation was drawing me to a place beyond words, and God was inviting me to let my heart speak through silence.

“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

Friend, where’s your heart at? What unmet desires or areas of desperation are you facing? Desperation is not a bad state to be in; it is the beginning of deeper seeking, drawing you to the only One who can truly fill the void inside you–the God-shaped hole in your heart.

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” Psalms 62:5,8

Let’s continue the practice we started yesterday:

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, 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