Consider the following ways you can make silence and solitude more of a reality and a habit. Which
will you pursue this coming week?
– Looking To Christ and listening to His Spirit during various “minute retreats” each day.
-Developing a daily time of daily Bible [reading] and prayer when you are alone with God.
– Experiencing extended periods of silence and solitude – an afternoon, evening or weekend.
– Locating special places where you can apply the disciplines of silence and solitude – a park, by a
stream, in a special room at home, at church or elsewhere.
– Asking your spouse or friend to temporarily assume your responsibilities so you can be alone
with God.***

How do we do this? We must be willing to:
– Turn off the TV, computer, cell phone, radio, etc. Consider even leaving your watch in another
room. But, set a timer if that is needed.
-Ask the Lord to join you in this time set aside for him. He will show up – whether 15 minutes or
5 hours.
-Have a bible and notepad handy. The Lord may direct you to new passages. You may receive
an impression or direction from the Lord which you will want to write down. Trust me – often
times we forget when we don’t write things down.
– It may be awkward the first few times doing this; it may feel like you are spinning your wheels.
Stay with it. You will begin to sense God’s presence.

Read some of the following bible verses which deal with aspects of being silent or experiencing
solitude. Consider incorporating them (or portions of them into your prayer time). Might the Lord be
leading you to other verses? As the Lord guides, share them with others.
       -Psalm 62:1,2,5,6 – My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is
my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Find rest, O my soul, in God
alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will
not be shaken.

*Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life: A Study Guide, by Donald S. Whitney, NavPress, 1994.

-Psalm 141:3 – Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.
-Luke 4:42a – At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place.
-Psalm 5:3 – In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before
you and wait in expectation.
-Psalm 131:2a – But I have stilled and quieted my soul…..
-Luke 6:12 – One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night
praying to God.
– Mark 6:31 – Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have
a chance to eat, he (Jesus) said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get
some rest.”
– Psalm 46:10a – Be still, and know that I am God.