601 SFL: Section 7 silence solitude

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian LifeDonald S. Whitney

Sunday, 8 September 13

Silence and

solitude... for the

purpose of godliness

Chapter 10, Donald Whitney,Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life


Silence and solitude can be appealing and transforming - consider Moses and Paul both of whom were transformed by years of solitude in the wilderness.

Whilst we are obviously made for interaction with other people, and God, we need to realise that the Sprit of God calls within us to a deeper way which often involves silence and solitude, Ps 42:7


Silence and solitude can be appealing and transforming - consider Moses and Paul both of whom were transformed by years of solitude in the wilderness.

Whilst we are obviously made for interaction with other people, and God, we need to realise that the Sprit of God calls within us to a deeper way which often involves silence and solitude, Ps 42:7

Deep calls to deep in the roar

of your waterfalls; all

your waves and breakers have swept over me.


What are silence and solitude?“The discipline of silence is the voluntary and temporary abstention from speaking so that certain spiritual goals might be sought...Though there is no outward speaking, there are internal dialogues with self and God. This can be called “outward silence.” other times silence is maintained not only outwardly but also inwardly so that God’s voice might be heard more clearly.”


What are silence and solitude?

“Solitude is the discipline of voluntarily and temporarily withdrawing to privacy for spiritual matters. The period of solitude might last for minutes or days...and might be sought in order to participate without interruption in other spiritual disciplines, or just to be alone with God.”


- silence and solitude are complimentary disciplines to fellowship: without s&s we are shallow, without fellowship we are stagnant- s&s are usually found together - though they are distinguishable


- culture often makes us comfortable with noise and crowds, we are not used to, and often are not comfortable with, the practice of s&s- yet there is good biblical witness for these practices


To paraphrase Jean Fleming (Finding focus in a whirlwind world),

“We live in a busy, noisy world. Silence and solitude are not 20th

century words...which do not fit into our era of tv, video arcades and

joggers wired with earphones. We have an aversion to quiet and an

uneasiness with being alone.”


Biblical reasons for silence and solitude

Reasons for practicing s&s include:

1. To follow Jesus’ example better

1. Lk 4:1, 14 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness...Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit...


Biblical reasons for silence and solitude

2. Matt 14:23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.


3. Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Note the context here)

4. Lk 4:42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. - again note the context within the verse


Dallas Willard writes, “We must reemphasize, the “desert” or “closet” is the primary place of strength for the beginner, as it was for Christ and for Paul. They show us by their example what we must do. In stark aloneness it is possible to have silence, to be still, and to know that Jehovah indeed is God (Ps. 46:10), to set the Lord before our minds with sufficient intensity and duration that we stay centered on Him – our hearts fixed, established in trust (Ps. 112:7-8) – even when back in the office, shop, or home.”


“Put yourself in Jesus’ sandals for a moment. People are clamouring for your help and have many real needs. You are able to meet those needs. Can you ever feel justified in pulling away to be alone? Jesus did...he knew the importance of being alone”

So what about you?


2. To hear the voice of God better

- Elijah on mount Horeb heard the still small voice (whisper) of God, Habakkuk 2;, 1Paul Gal 1:17

It is worth noting we can still hear God with other people etc. around us - but it is also necessary to take times away from such distractions

We are often addicted to noise or activity - even when reading the Bible we often do need music etc.


2. To hear the voice of God better

- Elijah on mount Horeb heard the still small voice (whisper) of God, Habakkuk 2;, 1Paul Gal 1:17

It is worth noting we can still hear God with other people etc. around us - but it is also necessary to take times away from such distractions

We are often addicted to noise or activity - even when reading the Bible we often do need music etc.

Arguably we are the most noise

polluted generation

ever, and most in need of s&s


Jonathan Edwards on his future wife, Sarah“...this great Being, in some way or other invisible, comes to her and fills her mind with exceeding sweet delight, and that she hardly cares for anything, except to meditate on him—that she expects after a while to be received up where he is, to be raised up out of the world and caught up into heaven; being assured that he loves her too well to let her remain at a distance from him always. There she is to dwell with him, and to be ravished with his love and delight forever.”


To express worship to GodWorship does not necessarily require words, sounds or actions - a God-focussed stillness and hush will do!Habakkuk 2:20 But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.Zephaniah 1:17 Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign Lord, for the awesome day of the Lord’s judgment is near.The Lord has prepared his people for a great slaughter and has chosen their executioners.


There is a need to be silent before him - that is worship - we do not always need to speak in order to worship!How often are you so overcome with God that you cannot speak?


To express faith in GodBeing silent before God can show greater faith than speaking many words of prayer / supplicationPsalm 62I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken...Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.


To express faith in GodBeing silent before God can show greater faith than speaking many words of prayer / supplicationPsalm 62I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken...Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.

Isaiah 30:15This is what the Sovereign Lord,the Holy One of Israel, says:“Only in returning to meand resting in me will you be saved.In quietness and confidence is your strength.But you would have none of it.


David Brainerd,“I withdrew to my usual place of retirement in great peace and tranquility; spent about two hours in secret duties and felt much as I did yesterday morning, only weaker and more overcome. I seemed to depend wholly upon my dear Lord, wholly weaned from all other dependences. I knew not what to say to my God, but only lean on His bosom, as it were, and breathe out my desires after a perfect conformity to Him in all things. Thirsting desires and insatiable longings possessed my soul after perfect holiness...


“...God was so precious to my soul that the world with all its enjoyments was infinitely vile. I had no more value for all the favor of men than pebbles. The Lord was my ALL; and that He overruled all greatly delighted me. I think my faith and dependence upon God scarce ever rose so high. I saw Him such a fountain of goodness that it seemed impossible I should distrust Him again, or be any way anxious about anything that should happen to me.”

David Brainerd


To seek the salvation of the Lord- for a non-believer seeking to be born again- for a believer seeking deliverance / salvation in a particular areaLamentations 3:25-28It is worth comparing the quote from CH Spurgeon (next page) with the practice of a generation who think altar calls require music, changed emotions, and a “good preacher”


I commend solitude to any of you who are seeking salvation, first, that you may study well your case as in the sight of God. Few men truly know themselves as they really are. Most people have seen themselves in a looking-glass, but there is another looking-glass, which gives true reflections, into which few men look. To study one’s self in the light of God’s Word, and carefully to go over one’s condition, examining both the inward and the outward sins, and using all the tests which are given us in the Scriptures, would be a very healthy exercise; but how very few care to go through it!

C.H. Spurgeon


To be physically and spiritually restored

Mk 6:31 shows Jesus doing that with his own disciples - they had given out spiritually and physically and now needed to be replenished

To regain a spiritual perspective

This brings a less worldly perspective to our lives and thinking.

When Zechariah was told of Elizabeths forthcoming pregnancy he doubted - he faced a time of silence and seems to have reemerged with a new God-given perspective on things


Taken from: http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/christian-solitude-mike-wilkins-sermon-on-disciplines-general-89110.asp?Page=4

Whitney tells of how Billy Graham was being pressured by Charles Templeton to give up his belief in the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. Templeton had many convincing arguments that Graham had trouble refuting, and it was a tumultuous time for him. Graham took some time in solitude and meditated on the many times in scripture that it said “the Word of the Lord came.” He saw how Jesus treated scripture, and he realized that intellect alone would not solve his problem – that it was an issue of faith.


So he placed his Bible on a stump and knelt down and said, Oh God; I cannot prove certain things. I cannot answer some of the questions Church is raising and some of the other people are raising, but I accept this Book by faith as the Word of God.” And through that time of solitude and the perspective he gained that night, Billy Graham was shaped into the man the world has known since.


To seek the will of GodLk 6:12-13 - when Jesus was choosing the 12Hudson Taylor and his decision to go to the inland parts of China came out his spending time alone in silence, solitude (and I imagine reflection) on the beach in Brighton on June 25th 1865


To learn control of the tongueBeing silent for periods can help us in gaining restraint over the tongue - the Bible talks a lot about the tongueJames 1:26, Prov 17:27-28, Ecc 3:7, James 1:19, James 3:2When fasting from food we discover how often we indulge to excess - much the same is true in speaking - in fact in practicing solitude we rely more on God’s control and feel less need to have some form of input


Silence and solitude are an integral and essential part of practicing the other disciplines:- part of personal worship- part of Bible study- part of prayer- maximise your learning, journalling and reflection- most importantly they provide us with time to think about, and listen to, God


Austin Phelps, a minister from the mid-19th century“It has been said that no great work of literature or science has ever been produced by someone who did not love solitude. It is also a fundamental principle of faith that no tremendous growth in holiness has ever been achieved by anyone who has not taken the time frequently, and for long periods, to be alone with God ”


So how do I do it?1. Minute silences / retreatsAt many moments in your day you could choose to be silent and aloneTake my life, and let it beConsecrated, Lord, to Thee;Take my moments and my days,Let them flow in ceaseless praise,Let them flow in ceaseless praise.2. A consistent daily time of s&sThis is not easy when there is so much that you must do - you really have to plan such times


3. Getting away for a retreat of s&s

- a day, afternoon, evening, weekend

- nothing but a Bible and notebook

4. A special place

- at home, on a walk, locally

- find places that have a “special sense of God” for you

- Susanna Wesley (mother of many children) used to pull her apron over her head and retreat in prayer and Bible reading


That seems like a good ideaBye!


601 SFL: Section 7 silence solitude

Spiritual

Transcript of 601 SFL: Section 7 silence solitude