In a world full of noise and busyness, do you have trouble spending time alone with God?
On the weekend edition of Live the Promise, Susie talks with Ruth Haley Barton, founder and president of The Transforming Center. She helps us unpack the discipline of solitude, and we look at how it can have a positive impact on our faith and peace.
Ruth’s passion is to help people step away from chaos and cultivate a deeper connection with God. As Christians, we can know God “experientially” and not just intellectually. How does silence help us connect with Him? Ruth points out that silence is not a New Age practice but goes back hundreds of years and is evident throughout the Old Testament and Psalms.
• Silence helps us be receptive to God’s voice.
• Silence “removes our agenda” and opens us up in humility to God’s Word renewing our mind.
Ruth offers her own hard-earned wisdom by explaining several aspects of this discipline. Listen as she touches on
• Practical steps to calming our minds and bodies
• Short biblical prayers to help you focus your time and energy – “Come, Lord Jesus”; “Here I am, Lord”
• How solitude operated in the lives of Moses, Elijah, Paul, and Jesus
• Why we feel the need to work and “prove” ourselves in busyness, even after coming to Christ
• How solitude can prevent us from experiencing a burnout, plus how to tell if we’re becoming “dangerously tired”
• The distinction between an obligation and an invitation in spending time with Him
Sitting in solitude is a process – it might take some time before we feel comfortable and productive while being quiet. Ruth says, don’t judge yourself too harshly. The goal is to open yourself to God and be open to being refreshed by Him.
Key Scriptures: Psalm 46:10; Psalm 62:1
Theme Song: Restless by Audrey Assad
Highlight : The discipline of solitude
Image: Flickr
