Take a Hike!

If you’re going to cultivate a listening heart, you need times of…

Solitude

Solitude is a foundational spiritual discipline that we regularly see in the life of Jesus. Jesus was in the habit of quietly slipping away simply to be alone with God. Mark 6:46 says,

After leaving them, he [Jesus] went up on a mountainside to pray.

Luke 4:42 says,

At daybreak, Jesus went to a solitary place.

And Luke 6:12 says,

Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Here’s what I’m learning. This discipline of solitude begins as an outward reality, where you physically withdraw to a place where you can be alone with God. But, over time, it can become an internalized reality as well, where you learn to pull within yourself in such a way that you and God are alone with one another, even in the midst of a crowd. This is how I meet with God on airplanes or in a crowded coffee shop.

I’m also learning that solitude doesn’t happen automatically. You have to intentionally pull away. I know this sounds difficult, finding time to be alone with God, but that’s probably because you’re not aware of all the opportunities for solitude that regularly present themselves in your everyday life — when you’re taking a shower, driving to work, walking by yourself or lunching alone. These moments are opportunities, where even if it’s just for a minute or two, you can be mindful of him, available to him. Every day presents us with multiple opportunities to steal a few moments with God.

That said, solitude can be challenging. Time alone with God can be difficult. Whenever you come to Jesus, you come naked and exposed, with your heart laid bare whether you want it or not. There’s no room for pretense, posturing or games. You can’t hide things from God. When you’re with him, you are who you are, nothing more, nothing less.

What's more, if you’re like me, everything is constantly moving, swirling. There are always things to do. It’s hard to do what Jesus did, walk away from the crowd, get up early if that’s what it takes. It’s hard to find the time and it’s hard for some of us to be alone. You might not be able to imagine having time alone with God without an agenda, a prayer list, a study plan, a devotional book or music playing. You might not be able to imagine not using words, whether spoken or formed in your mind. After all, you’re a verbal processor! Your time with God, when you have time with God, has mostly always been you talking — sometimes delivering long, meandering discourses, loaded with suggestions while God sits quietly and listens attentively. Maybe you can’t imagine letting go of your own efforts to fix or solve problems or make progress in your spiritual life. After all, you’re an achiever, a high flyer. The very idea of doing something so seemingly unproductive as sitting alone with God in silence, listening for any length of time, just doesn’t appeal to you. In your frustration, in the midst of all the noise, people and performance-oriented activity, there’s a quiet invitation, if you can hear it.

Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).

Can you hear him?

I’m drawn, more and more, to experiment with establishing a life rhythm around this idea. What would it be like, how would it change and deepen my love relationship with Jesus, if I set aside five minutes an hour, an hour every day, a day every week and a week every year — what you might call a retreat — just to be with God? I’ll let you know how it goes. Start with five minutes a day. Or you might simply want to…

Take a hike!

Richard Foster says that nature is like God’s museum. It reveals the glory, creativity and majesty of God. As David wrote,

The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship (Psalm 19:1 NLT).

Nature reveals God, so read the book of nature. Even an indoorsman like me is learning the value of the great outdoors. Every day, as I ride my scooter to work, the heat here in Kansas reminds me that there’s a hell but the view, the beauty of green grass in May, majestic trees and that bright, blue Midwestern sky makes me think of him! I may be the wrong guy to say this but some of you need to get out more. Some of you need to take a hike.

As someone who spends the bulk of his working life in an office, behind a screen that grows larger as I grow older, trust me, it’s important to practice the rhythm of solitude in the midst of work, as part of your everyday life. One way to do that is to take a few minutes, maybe 2-3 minutes an hour, to close your eyes and focus your mind on God. Just pause for a moment and think of him. Some of my best inspiration comes in the wake of these stolen moments with God. It could be a verse you're meditating on, like Isaiah 30:15,

In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.

This practice enables you, for just a few moments, to take the focus off yourself, what you have to do, who’s depending on you, whatever might be going on that day, so you can be present to God.

You can actually practice the discipline of solitude in group settings as well, not by ignoring everyone but by checking in with God and inviting him to join you as you interact with others. The next time you’re in a group, silently invite God to simply be with you. Ask him to guard your mouth. Then watch yourself in group situations to make sure you’re not maneuvering, manipulating, talking too much or trying to call attention to yourself. I’m learning that those who talk incessantly are either desperate for attention or, more likely, trying to manage what others think of them. So practicing solitude in groups helps you be more self-aware so you can really focus on others. Ask yourself, “Why am I saying that? Am I trying to impress people, get a laugh, sound or look important?” This is an interior thing going on between you and God and as you practice, it helps you listen.