Sermon: Spiritual Disciplines – Solitude
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 13:6-8
Duration: 25:45
Size: 11.7 MB
Spiritual Disciplines
Solitude
Luke 13:6-8
The gardener of our soul is the Holy Spirit, he digs around our roots and feeds us so that we might bear good fruit.
What is Solitude
Just as fasting is the abstinence from food for spiritual purposes, solitude is the withdrawing to privacy for spiritual purposes.
True solitude removes ourselves from company, but it also removes ourselves from other distractions as well.
Loneliness is inner emptiness. Solitude is inner fulfillment. Solitude is not first a place but a state of mind and heart.
We only have to look at Jesus’ life if we want to find the practice of Solitude in scripture.
The Benefits of Solitude
In the quiet of solitude, all pretensions can be striped away, all the things in life that are trying to mold us in their image are removed, all the requirements of the world disappear, and we can stand before God “just as I am”.
Remember that Dallas Willard said that the Discipline of Solitude is for strengthening.
You can see that Jesus sought out solitude before the big events in his life.
When we are tempted to live in a way that will please those around us, rather than live in integrity with who the Father has called us to be, the more time we spend in solitude with the Father, the less other’s judgments stick to us!
How to Practice Solitude
The important thing is to get alone and recognize God’s presence with you before you read or pray.
They say that you can be alone even when standing in a crowd.
The truth is, I believe that all Christians should take some kind of solitary retreat at times.
The Benefits of Solitude
- Being Real
- Getting Centered
- Learn to Live in Integrity
How To Practice Solitude
- Daily Solitude
- Spontaneous Solitude
- Retreats