solitude

Isla Head explores the importance of actively choosing to spend time alone with God

What comes to mind when you think of the word solitude? For some, it might mean loneliness. Or lack of attention. Maybe, as a nurse who struggles to take a protected break to eat in the middle of your shift, the idea of solitude sounds appealing.

However, in today’s culture, true solitude can be hard for us to find after a busy shift, especially with the always-connected, technology-infused, and go-go-go lifestyles we are encouraged to have. Although we may set aside ‘alone time’, we might be distracted, as we turn on Netflix, scroll our phones or play video games. Would you agree that we seem to have reached a plateau in our tech lives where not being connected isn’t an option anymore, with poor connection being to the detriment of our social, study or work lives? True solitude is beginning to seem like something we just can’t grasp.

However, it is important for us, as Christians, to recognise the necessity of solitude in our lives. Solitude helps us spiritually refuel through spending time alone with God, one-on-one. We can look to Jesus as he modelled this for us through his life. In Luke 5:16, we read that ‘Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed’, highlighting that even for the Son of God, solitude was a necessary practice for spiritual strength and maintaining a relationship with his Father. Withdrawing from constant activity can help us to refocus on maintaining a mindset focused exclusively on eternity, on the Lord. It’s worth noting here that having a busy and active life in itself isn’t bad – Jesus was usually surrounded by people, as he taught and worked. But the key point here is that he took time to pull away from the crowd and his disciples, to spend time alone with his Father.

Okay, so how do we ‘do’ solitude? Firstly, find a quiet, distraction-free space to pray, read Scripture or simply be present with God. Keep looking to Jesus’ life and the examples he gives us to help with practising solitude in our lives. Practising solitude is a discipline, and with any discipline, perseverance will be required to form this habit in our lives. But show yourself some grace; it can be difficult, especially if you struggle to be fully disconnected from your surroundings. So, start with short periods of solitude; simply turn off your phone and be open to God. You might find yourself singing, journaling, or meditating on the Word. Ultimately, keep looking to Christ, to your heart posture and to God’s unfailing love for you. He sees your effort.

Isla Head is a nurse in Dundee who also volunteers for the CMF Nurses & Midwives team as an Associate, focusing on Student ministry and care of Newly Qualified Nurses & Midwives.