How to Be OK with Being Alone

Alone. Quiet. It’s hard to exaggerate how much our culture avoids both. We gorge on empty entertainment and zone out with social media feeds. We fill our minds with noise-noise-noise; even our gas pumps advertise what we need for our best life. Why do we fall for this? And why do we so often feel empty?

Sooner or later, everyone will end up alone with their thoughts. What then? To avoid the pitfalls of distraction and even more so to gain great rewards, we need to learn to spend time alone—with God. It is in the quiet that we can hear God. We can assess ourselves against God’s standards and stop comparing ourselves to others. We can feel God’s presence and accept his welcome when we aren't running after so many things.

Then Jesus said, “Let’s go to a place where we can be alone and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31b (CEV)

Jesus, with all he had to accomplish, often went away to be alone. He taught his disciples to do the same.

And we can teach our children this discipline. When they grow out of nap time, they can still have quiet time without music or screens. Daily activities should leave time to be free to rest. Our Sundays can set aside “alone moments” for the whole family. Busy vacations can include a “down day.” We can all stand to make time to unplug and let our minds settle to a more reasonable speed.

But it takes practice. Help your kids see the difference between solitude and solitary confinement. Talk to them about thinking about God when they drift off to sleep. Quietly watch the sunset together, then sing a hymn of praise. Work on memorizing and thinking through a verse to prepare for quiet time. Discuss with them afterward how it felt. Did they think of something new spiritually? Did God nudge them in a certain direction?

Silence and solitude are powerful practices that God uses to fill us with more of him. As you make space for him, God will fill your home with all the good things.

PRAY

Lord, I want more of you. I want your gifts of love, joy, and peace in our lives. I confess I don’t open the door. Help our family break addictions to the world’s noise. Fill our loneliness with more of you. Amen.

TIME TO TALK

Conversation starter for kids: Provides you with questions and prompts to facilitate a time of applicable discussion with children to lead them towards knowing God and His Word more deeply.

Question(s): Did you ever miss something good because you were distracted by a video or wearing headphones, or has it ever been hard to get my attention when I am talking to a friend? How do you think we can hear God?

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: These additional verses will help parents expand their Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.

Psalm 46:10

Mark 1:35