By Priscilla Nkwelle
Solitude to me is like going to a gas station for a refill. How often do we go to the gas station for a refill? That is how often we need that quiet undisturbed place where we meet with the Father and Son through the Holy spirit for fellowship and communion...a refill.
Solitude is not only going to a quiet place, away from distractions, but it is bringing myself (my mind, my will, my devotion) to the Lord. This is where transformation takes place, where the Father reveals who He is personally to me - my Father! Where direction is given to me specifically, where the Lord Jesus writes His laws on my mind (Hebrew 10:16). This is where Jesus is not only the Saviour of the world, but He becomes personal to me as my Lord, and my friend. This is where I know the Holy Spirit as comforter, counsellor, and helper, not because it is written in the Bible, but because solitude gives room for Him to reveal Himself to me.
Solitude is where I get to talk to Him and listen to Him (how much this is difficult for me!). This is where God’s will is revealed and confirmed. Yes, all these can happen in a worship meeting, or a Sunday service, but the Father does not only want to reveal Himself to us when we're at church. The Father longs to be made known to our spirits daily.
For me solitude is spending time with the Father. It is a place where I am realest, where I do not have to try to be, it is a place where I do not even need to know what to say or do, but just be before my Father. How much I love this place, but how much this is one of the most challenging things in my life.
How much I love the moments where I easily am able to quiet myself before the Lord, be it in the bus or sitting in my room or going out on a walk and just reminisce on the beauty and majesty and greatness of our God. This can be done through a Bible verse I read or a conversation I had, nature or remembering how much He has been so faithful to me. He has kept every promise He made to me (not just the promises in the Bible). That may raise a question for you...what personal promises has God made to you? Do you have any? Do you spend time with Him alone to let those promises you read in the Bible, those you hear in worship songs, in pastors preaching to become yours, as God speaks to you and writes them on your mind and heart?
That is how our minds are renewed by the WORD, as we feed on it and ponder it just like you rethink scenes in a movie you really liked even months after watching it.
How much God longs to make Himself known to us. He is not just the God of the Bible. He is the God of yesterday, today, and forever.
HE IS!
But how much we live such busy lives, waiting for the next thing, and the latest trend. Most of times God is not in the wind (metaphorically), or in the large movements nor the noise (1 King 19:11-12).
But how would we know what to follow or not if we do not spend time with Him to get direction?
We are in the world but not of the world, Jesus said in John 17:16 as He prayed for His disciples. So we do not live to follow the trends as unpopular as that might seem, but we live to follow Jesus, and we only get to know what His will is, what His heart is, in solitude!
Paul says in Romans 12:2 not to conform to the pattern of the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This only happens in solitude! Meaning when we spend time contemplating Jesus, our hearts, minds, desires, dreams, and wishes are renewed, we are transformed into His image (2 Corinthians 3:18). This verse says “as we all with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, we are being (continuous tense) transformed into what we see/contemplate…”
As we read the Scriptures, listen to preaching, worship music, that unveils our faces and makes us see God in a new light. That is to lead us to a place of solitude, a place of “alone-time” with Jesus where we let Him speak to us and write those words on our hearts and ponder His words. Then are we changed into His glory and image.
This is a continuous process as we do not feel nor see Him writing the words on our hearts, but we see the fruits in the way we think or how our dreams and desires change to something that is of God.
Jesus does not want us to know Him only from what we hear in church or read in the Bible, but He wants our spirits to know Him and be able to recognize Him (John 10:14, 27-28), and that comes with spending time with Him.
Because of how crucial this is to a Christian, there is no doubt why the enemy fights that with everything that is in Him. If the enemy can't make us turn our backs on God, he will keep us busy. Busy with life, unending to-do lists, and binge watching shows, rather than reading the Bible or talking to God. However, when you know that studying will make you pass your exam, you do it! Same goes here. If you want to cultivate solitude, just go and do it. Ask your Father in Heaven to help you and He will. Ask Him for the desire to love His Presence and He will gladly shape your desires.
I read something that changed my prayer life. Keep prayer simple. Keep it real. And keep it up!
When Jesus lived on the earth, many times He went to a quiet place to pray even though He was God. Many times after His time with His Father in prayer, He performed a great miracle or preached a powerful sermon. That hits me always and reminds me how vital solitude (alone-time with God) is to my walk with God here on earth, in this world!
When you are quiet with God, listen and let Him captivate you by who He is. Then will you be able to walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil or walk in fire and not get consumed, nor even smell of smoke. Or walk on water despite the raging seas with your eyes fixed on Jesus. Then will you know the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, just like Paul did even being in prison. Then the Bible becomes reality to you and Christianity a relationship not a religion!
Hi my name is Priscilla. I am from Cameroon 🇨🇲 in Central Africa. I moved to Canada in January of 2018 to further my studies and yes, I was baptized into the cold very early😅 but I am now starting to love it here. I love community, but also love my alone time where I listen to worship music (mostly) and sing... 2020 made me enjoy this even more. Going out for walks with good company is something I enjoy doing, but even more sharing about the Lord Jesus. He has been so good to me!
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