Cultivate Solitude

“I love people. I love my family, my children… but inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that’s where you renew your springs that never dry up.”

—PEARL S. BUCK

My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.

—Isaiah 32:18

Being alone and enjoying quiet time is very healing to our souls. Everyone needs regular time to reflect and allow the soul to quiet down. Your mind needs to rest; it needs to experience the peace found in solitude. Emotions need time to settle and level out. They need time to recover from daily life. When we feel weary and as if we cannot go on, solitude helps us find the determination we need to finish our course with joy.

Jesus regularly went off by Himself into the mountains to be alone. He was refreshed and strengthened through solitude. In the quiet, we hear from God, and we are reassured of the direction He wants us to take in life.

Without solitude, my life can get absolutely crazy. Nothing makes sense and I can feel overwhelmed by everyone’s expectations. I don’t know when to say yes and when to say no. My mind is confused, my emotions are on a rollercoaster, and I frequently want to run away. But after a little quiet time—some time, alone, in prayer and meditation—everything changes. I find wisdom and direction in the times of solitude.

I absolutely love solitude and the peace I find in those times. They prepare me for the rest of life. Make the effort to carve out time in your day, week, or even month to find some solitude. Get up extra early and watch the sun come up with God. Find a quiet spot at a park and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. Whatever you do, I urge you to cultivate solitude because it is truly where you find the answers to a simple life that can be enjoyed.