It was team season at ASELSI in Guatemala. In addition, I had several different people coming just to work in therapy.  Weeks passed without a break. Despite enjoying all the visitors, I longed for some alone time. When it came, I texted a friend: “Do you hear that? … Nothing! (Deep Breath) :)”

As an introvert, I need alone time to recharge, but as a believer I need it all the more. Solitude and silence is essential if I want to serve well and walk in the fullness of God’s love, grace, peace, and joy. Yet, even for an introvert like me, it is hard to do. Distractions abound and it is easy to fill the needed alone time with other things, things that don’t build up my soul.

This morning, as I sat in solitude and silence my mind began to race. I started to push those thoughts away. After all, it was the time to be quiet and still. Then it dawned on me, I couldn’t truly sit still before the Lord until I had dealt with those thoughts. (Hmm, hadn’t someone written about throwing out the stuffing earlier this year?) So I changed my approach and discovered some things.

I’ve decided this is what I’ll do with those thoughts during my quiet time:

1. Pay attention to the thoughts, as they can be clues

a. Of underlying fears or worries I need to surrender to him.

b. To heart issues he wants to change and areas where I need to repent or ask for forgiveness      from someone else.

c. To distractions that keep me from Him and the work He has for me.

d. About activities I do to rest that actually bring more unrest, instead of using that time for true rest in Him.

2. Take those things to Him in prayer:

a. He will reveal the steps to take, if needed, better than any plan I may have.

b. Do what He says, whether I need to repent, ask forgiveness, or do something later. Write it down and commit to do it.

c. Leave it with Him.

3. Rest in true solitude and silence.

A deep rest and peace for body, soul, and spirit come when I practice solitude and silence. With this practice, wisdom and understanding come in the middle of situations I experience during the day. Just ask the team at the International Justice Mission about their experience since adding a 30-minute “Stillness” time as part of their workday each and every day before they open their door to others.

What about you, what have you discovered about solitude and silence in your own life?

“Let no corruptive talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:29,32 ESV).