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| Why We Need Rest and Solitude |
And What That Looks Like for Me - - by Guest Kristen Welch
“Solitude
and stillness create space for the spirit of God to speak.”
As soon as
my pastor said the words, I started squirming.
I’m terrible
at resting, being still, and seeking solitude. I like to go and do,
rather than stay and be. I’m an expert multi-tasker, and I tend
to overload my plate. Most days I rock my to-do list, but it’s totally the
boss of me. I tend to run on less than half a tank, and I feel weary often.
Resting
makes me restless.
Yet,
something about my pastor’s words made me long for quiet and solitude. And
I kept feeling pulled toward the small inner voice saying, “Come to me, you who
are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Because
doers can only do so much.
My pastor
went on to talk about Jesus’ need for solitude, so much so that He separated
himself and spent time alone with His Father.
If
the Son of Man needed to create this space, how much more do we?
I took a
good long look at my life, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d rested
well, completely unplugged from the noise and got alone for hours — days — just
me and Jesus. It’s time most of us can’t afford, but if I’m honest with myself,
I know this is mostly an excuse. If I can squeeze in a girl’s weekend once
a year, surely I can make time to be alone a couple of days with God.
By that
point during the sermon, I was begging for a quiet corner to confess.
Why
is it that we think we can give to others without first receiving what is
freely given to us?
I thought of
the unanswered email in my inbox — the one with an invitation to get away for a
weekend of solitude and solace, for rest and renewal. I hadn’t deleted the
email, but I also hadn’t made room for it in my busy life and schedule.
Instead of
seeing this as the indecision I thought it was, I saw it as something much more
frightening: pride.
When we are
too self-assured with our own abilities, we are drawing from a limited
resource.
When
we are too busy to stop and rest, we are too busy.
Three Reasons We Need Rest and Solitude
1.
God made rest a priority
He rested
after He worked. Jesus sought solitude and so should we.
2.
God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness
When we take
time to rest and seek God, we are acknowledging that we need His help. We
weren’t meant to carry the weight of the world, but we often don’t realize how
badly we need rest until we take it.
3.
Respite gives us the opportunity to hear God
More than
anything, I want to hear God. But in order to lean in and listen close, I have
to be still and quiet.
Before I
made it to the car that Sunday afternoon, I answered that email and said,
“Please, let me come and rest.” Honestly, three days alone on a solitude
retreat intimidates me. But it also excites me. I can’t wait to create the
space for God to renew and speak to my soul.
How are
you resting? Do you carve out times of solitude to be alone with God?
1 comment:
Kristen, this is an awesome, much-needed post. Thank you for sharing your story.
I, too, was like you. Until, God forced a rest. A 7-year rest. As horrible as the circumstances were, it was the one of the best things in my life. My Christianity, which always centered around church, grew due to solitude and silence. I heard from God in ways I could write a book about. I love the first line (from your pastor) on this post. It is an absolute truth. Thank you for sharing such a deep truth. I'm sure what you received from the retreat was life-changing for you.
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