Seek Moments of Solitude


As I get older, it seems that every year passes faster than the year before.  I’m told there are twenty-four hours in a day, yet many days I feel that someone is stealing some of mine.  As I look around, it appears I’m not the only one who is experiencing a constant battle with the clock.  The reality is that our lives are busy.  We all have numerous responsibilities and commitments that pull us in many different directions.  No wonder so many of us are tired, stressed, and overworked.  Certainly, using the time God has given us in a productive way is a worthwhile endeavor.  Yet, if we are not careful, we can find ourselves in chains, slaves to the taskmaster that is time.
             Many, if not most, of the responsibilities you and I have are beneficial pursuits that do good.  Yet, if these pursuits lead us to be enslaved to time, that which was once good can cease to be beneficial.  I often wonder if Satan uses our busy nature to distract us from the things that are most important in life such as family and our spiritual lives.  As difficult as it is to hit pause in our busy schedules, it is essential that we learn to seek out moments of solitude.
            I’m reminded of the many times throughout the Gospel accounts when Jesus went off to a solitary place to pray.  Certainly, this practice helped maintain His relationship with His Father, but I wonder if it also helped Him maintain His perspective.  If ever there was anyone in a battle against the clock, it was Jesus.  He had an enormous amount to accomplish and only a short time in which to do it.  Yet, Jesus took time to seek out moments of solitude.
            As Christians, we too should learn to see out moments of solitude in which to pursue our relationships with God while also seeking to maintain a proper perspective on life.  Research indicates that stress, anxiety, and depression are at record levels.  Perhaps if we learned the practice of solitude with God and taught it to our children, we might be able to mitigate these rising levels.
            1 Corinthians 6:12 says, “’All things are lawful for me’, but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me’, but I will not be dominated by anything.”  Using our time to engage in positive pursuits is admirable.  However, as Christians we must never allow ourselves to become enslaved to anything, including time.  One of the ways we can help avoid the snare of time is through choosing to seek out moments of solitude in our daily lives where we build our relationships with God and seek to maintain a proper perspective on life.

Comments

  1. marcyDecember 18, 2019 at 9:56 AM

    I have the opposite problem. I seek too much solitude because the world's a scary place. Luckily, I have a great therapist. 😉

    ReplyDelete

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