Silence & Solitude

We live in a world constantly filled with noise. Scrolling, multitasking, and reacting. Silence and solitude often feel awkward – or even impossible! But the ancient practices of silence and solitude are vital for our mental, emotional, and spiritual health. At Refuge, we believe self-care is sacred. And this week we talk more about the Holy Habits of silence & solitude, and how they help us heal, grow, and connect with God.

Self-Care is NOT Selfish!

So many of us have been told to just power through. We’ve been conditioned to believe hustle is part of life and we just need to toughen up and get through. But that’s the kind of living that leads to burnout. This whole series is about loving ourselves and caring for our souls so that we can LOVE OTHERS WELL.

Level Up!

This is our third Holy Habit of the series. And before we can really sit alone in silence we have to learn to slow down. So, we’ve learned how meditation helps us calm our minds and bodies. And how prayer allows us to voice our worries so we can have peace in our hearts and souls. These are the Holy Habits that help us level up and take the next step. Getting to a place where we can stop doing and simply be.

Elijah & God

In 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah nose dives from the highest of spiritual highs into complete and utter burnout. Pastor Nicole actually calls it what it is — what many of us deal with — depression! He’s exhausted, depressed, and afraid – so much so that he prays for God to let him die. And God does something so beautifully merciful. God doesn’t rebuke him for his prayer, instead God cares for Elijah. He lets him sleep, sends him food, and allows him to be alone. It’s in this kind of stillness that God spoke to Elijah. God reminded Elijah of his purpose in the silence and solitude on the mountain.

Jesus Loved Being Alone!

Jesus lived under a similar pressure. He was in full time ministry. There were so many expectations of who Jesus should be. He even lived under the constant threat of danger. In her message, Pastor Nicole says she believes Jesus would withdraw at times to cry and feel sadness. And why wouldn’t he? He was human… and hated… and trying to do good for the people who hated him. Despite the turmoil that Jesus faced, we never read about him praying to die. In fact, the moment when Jesus asked “let this cup pass from me…” he still found the strength to press on into his purpose; the crucifixion. cared for himself, so that he could love ALL PEOPLE well.

How To:

There really isn’t a perfect how-to-guide to silence & solitude. Like with anything in life it takes time and practice! Practices must be repeated so that they can form into HABITS! So, here are a few tips on where to begin.

• Start Small //5 minutes each morning, and slowly increase time as it gets easier.
• Stay Consistent // It takes a minimum of 21 days for a new habit to jell. Missing a day doesn’t ruin the process — but consistency is key!
• Turn Off the Phone //Make your place of solitude a sacred place. Don’t bring any distractions into it! No phone, not books, not iPad, not yarn!
• DON’T //Learn that its okay to stop. Don’t try to fix anything, don’t try to pray about anything. Just be. Just you. Just God. Breathe and be reminded who you are!

Listen

God still speaks; not by shouting, but by whispering. That whisper won’t compete with noise and distraction. A whisper is as loud as a whisper gets – so turn down the noise, ditch the distraction, and love yourself in the silence and solitude.