This raises an important issue: Some people — whether they admit it or not — are deeply afraid and uncomfortable with the thought of being alone with God. And indeed, for a fallen man or woman to stand utterly naked and completely known before God (apart from the redemptive work of Christ) is a truly terrifying prospect! But for those in Christ, the situation is radically different. We are encouraged to confidently “draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” (Heb. 4:16, ESV). We are loved, accepted and forgiven in Christ. For this reason, being completely alone with God (particularly while appreciating the beauty of the natural world that he has created) offers a unique opportunity to commune with, worship and even enjoy our great Creator, Savior and Redeemer!
Solitude gives us an opportunity to commune with both God and self. It provides time for us to contemplate both who we are and what we think, as well as time to meditate upon who God is, what he has done, is now doing, and will one day do. Solitude, in other words, provides an opportunity for us to remember, notice, enjoy and anticipate our place in God’s great story.
Solitude provides an opportunity to remember who we are, who God is and what God has done on our behalf. Repeatedly in the book of Deuteronomy, the Lord calls upon his people to remember that they were once slaves in the land of Egypt, but that he delivered them, redeemed them and brought them “out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,” (Deut. 5:15; see also Deut. 15:15, 16:12, 24:18, 22). In a similar way, Paul encourages the believers in Ephesus to remember that though they were once separated from Christ, they have now “been brought near by the blood of Christ,” (Eph. 2:12-13). If we are “in Christ,” solitude offers an excellent opportunity to remember that God loves us, has redeemed us and is conforming us to the image of his son (Rom. 8:29).
Solitude also provides an occasion for us to notice how we are doing spiritually, as well as how God might be presently working in our lives. What role has God called you to play in his unfolding story of redemption and restoration? How well are you fulfilling this role? Paul reminds believers that, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ,” (Col. 3:23-24). Are you working “heartily” at what God has called you to do? Solitude provides a great opportunity for us to honestly evaluate ourselves before God, take note of how we are doing and how — with God’s help — we might improve.
As I have previously argued, solitude — especially when experienced out in the beauty of the natural world — provides a wonderful opportunity to enjoy God as we admire, appreciate and reflect upon his work in creation. Indeed, when we rightly enjoy and delight in what God has made, our hearts are inclined to worship and adore him for the wisdom, power, beauty and goodness which he has revealed of himself in the natural world. King David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork,” (Ps. 19:1). And in another place we are told to “give thanks to the Lord,” who by his “understanding made the heavens” and “spread out the earth above the waters,” (Ps. 136:1, 5-6). Getting alone with God in the majestic beauty of his creation provides a unique opportunity to relax and rest, as well as to enjoy and worship him.
Finally, solitude provides an occasion to anticipate what God has planned for our future. And for the Christian, the prospects are bright indeed! We are promised “a new heaven and a new earth,” (Rev. 21:1). An exceedingly great city, the “new Jerusalem,” is said to come “down out of heaven from God,” (Rev. 21:2). We are told that “the dwelling place of God” will now be with humanity on the new earth, and that God will dwell with his people (Rev. 21:3). God will “wipe away every tear” from his people’s eyes, “and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away,” (Rev. 21:4). In that day, the chief business of life will be rejoicing in the Lord, worshiping him, enjoying him and our fellow-believers and reigning “forever and ever,” (Rev. 22:5). To be sure, these are staggering promises. But they are all guaranteed by “the faithful God,” (Deut. 7:9) who does not lie (Heb. 6:18). Solitude provides an excellent opportunity to meditate upon such promises and anticipate the good things God has planned for his children.
If you’ve been feeling stressed out, frazzled or disconnected from both yourself and God recently, then I would encourage you to make some time for solitude. Get alone with God for a while, preferably out in the beauty of the natural world. Take some time to remember who you are and who God is, notice how he is working in your life, enjoy him and all that he has made and anticipate the wonderful things he has planned for you. Incorporating periods of solitude into the daily rhythm of our lives can help provide an inner stillness, along with greater depth, wholeness and shalom in the presence of God that we all so desperately need.
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