If you’ve never practiced solitude before, it can feel overwhelming.
We tend to imagine solitude as something reserved for pastors, monks, or people who can disappear into the mountains for days at a time. We picture hours of uninterrupted silence and profound spiritual experiences.
Most of us don’t live that way.
We have jobs, families, responsibilities, and calendars that rarely slow down long enough for an afternoon alone.
The good news is that a practice of solitude doesn’t begin with finding more time.
It begins with making space. Not a lot of space.
Just enough to become attentive to God.
If you’ve never practiced solitude before, don’t expect an extraordinary experience. Expect an ordinary moment that slowly teaches you to notice an extraordinary God.
Begin with Intention
Solitude doesn’t happen by accident. We all experience moments when we’re alone, but being alone and practicing solitude are not the same thing. Solitude is the intentional choice to step away from the noise and distractions of everyday life so we can become more aware of God’s presence. That doesn’t require a mountain. It doesn’t require a wilderness trail. It doesn’t even require an hour. It simply requires saying, “For the next few minutes, I’m choosing to be present with God.”
Start Smaller Than You Think
One of the biggest mistakes we make is believing we have to begin with a grand experience.
You don’t.
Start with ten minutes. Sit on your porch before the house wakes up. Take a slow walk around your neighborhood without headphones. Find a quiet place during your lunch break. Sit beside a creek after work. The location matters far less than your willingness to slow down.
Remember, you’re not trying to escape your life. You’re creating space to pay attention.
Leave Room for Silence
Silence often feels uncomfortable at first. Our instinct is to fill every quiet moment with something.
- Music.
- A podcast.
- A conversation.
- Even prayer can become a way of doing all the talking.
For a few moments, simply be still. Let the silence settle. Not because silence has power on its own, but because it creates room for us to listen.
Bring a Small Portion of Scripture
You don’t need to read several chapters. Choose a short passage.
Read it slowly… Read it again… Read it slowly…
Notice what stands out. Ask simple questions.
- What does this reveal about God?
- What does it reveal about me?
Don’t rush to find an answer. Sometimes the greatest gift is simply sitting with the question.
Pay Attention
This is where solitude begins to shape us. Notice your surroundings. Notice your thoughts. Notice your emotions. Notice what keeps pulling your attention away. Then, gently turn your attention back to God. Over time, you’ll begin to recognize something remarkable.
God wasn’t absent before. You were simply learning to notice what He had been doing all along.
End with a Simple Prayer
Your prayer doesn’t have to be long or eloquent.
It can be as simple as:
“Father, thank You for meeting me here.”
Or,
“Help me carry what You’ve shown me into the rest of my day.”
Then get up and go back to your responsibilities.
- Go back to your family.
- Go back to your work.
- Go back to the ordinary moments of life.
Not because solitude is over, but because its purpose was never to help you escape the world. Its purpose was to help you return with new eyes.
Just Begin
A simple practice of solitude will probably feel awkward the first few times. That’s okay. Every meaningful journey begins with a single step.
Don’t worry about doing it perfectly. Don’t worry about whether you’re “doing it right.”
Simply begin.
Create a little space.
Slow down.
Pay attention.
You may discover that God has been waiting for you there all along.
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