What are two words in the
English language that elicit discomfort and intimidation, especially in, but
not limited to, teens and young adults. These words are also very “disquieting”
to us “git ‘er done” guys!
The words: “silence” and “solitude.” I know, for me, there is a visceral reaction
to them. They fill me with a sense of anxiousness. Typically, my days are
filled with noise and activity. I absolutely thrive on being with people. I am
very uncomfortable when I sit in my office alone. I have to have Pandora music
going in the background. Just thinking about those words while I am writing
this makes me “jumpy”!
Several times, over the
years, I have either participated in or facilitated silent retreats. In 1994, I
participated in a directed silent retreat led by the author of “The Ragamuffin
Gospel”, Brennan Manning.The retreat began on a Thursday and lasted until
Sunday. The first twenty-four hours were brutal for me. It took that long for
the noise to die down in my head and for me to relax! From time to time, I have facilitated silent
retreats for the men in my morning men’s groups. The silence periods extended
from Friday evening until Saturday at lunchtime. I have also participated in
silent times at The Ignatius House, the Jesuit retreat center here in Atlanta.
All of these times were wonderful and truly meaningful times. O.K., so why
don’t I practice more times of silence and solitude?
I am reading a book by
Lane Witt titled, “Replenish”. In one
chapter he calls, “Noise Cancelling
Headphones for the Soul,” he shares his journal entry regarding his own
struggle with this issue.
“Lord, I
confess to you that it’s hard for me to be quite and silent. I want to hear
your voice, but my world is filled with so much noise that I usually miss your
gentle nudges. The flurry of activity in my life drowns out your voice. I feel
disconnected. I don’t fully understand why it is so difficult to be still and
rest in you. I often feel like a rubber band that is stretched too tightly.
I am sure the diagnosis involves taking a hard look at my
drivenness and performance mentality. I also know that I need to own this. I am
not a victim of circumstance or situation. My lack of solitude is a reflection
of choices that I make. I just want to tell you that I need you and desire to
change this area of my life. Help it to be enough just to be with you.” I certainly identify with his struggles!
Witt goes on to say, “Solitude feels counterintuitive to the way
most of us live (my paraphrase). Solitude
·
Requires being present when we are used to being productive.
·
Requires listening when we are used to talking.
·
Requires quiet when we are used to noise.
·
Requires stillness when we are used to busyness.
·
Requires going internal when we are used to going external.
·
Requies facing who we are when we are used to projecting who
we want people to think we are.”
Gary Thomas says, “We who have been drugged by diversions
cannot expect enter the quiet without a struggle. Our souls will roar for
diversion.”
Henri Nouwen says of
solitude, “Solitude is the place where
Christ remodels us in His own image and frees us from the victimizing
compulsions of the world. In solitude we become aware that our worth is not the
same as our usefulness.”
Can we not try this practice,
without our cell phones or other devices, for just an hour to begin with, then,
maybe, for 12 hours and, eventually for a day? Think of a place where you would
go to be alone and quiet. It probably will not kill us! Surely, whatever we are
involved with will survive without us. Who knows, it might even draw us into a
deeper relationship with Christ.
MINISTRY NEWS
We held the 4th
Annual Net Work Ministries Wounded Warrior Golf Outing at Marietta Country
Club. We had 20 Warriors paired with members of our Friday Morning Group and
members of Marietta Country Club. We gave them a day of golf, a wonderful
buffet lunch, and some prizes. However, our main purpose was to honor those who
had sacrificed so much to preserve our freedoms.