It’s one of the questions I hear most often.
It’s a fair question. For many of us, life is built around accomplishing something. We measure our days by what we finished, what we learned, or what we crossed off the list. Then we step into solitude…
…and suddenly there isn’t anything to accomplish. That can feel unsettling. We begin wondering if we’re doing it right.
- Should I be praying?
- Reading my Bible?
- Journaling?
- Sitting quietly?
- Listening?
The answer is both simpler and more difficult than most people expect.
- Yes.
- Maybe.
- It depends.
The purpose of solitude isn’t to complete a spiritual checklist. The purpose is to become attentive to God. That’s a very different posture.
Solitude Is a Posture Before It’s a Practice
Imagine trying to approach a wild deer. If you rush toward it, you’ll never get close. If you demand that it come to you, it will disappear into the woods. You don’t force the encounter. You create the conditions where one becomes possible.
I think solitude works much the same way. We don’t force God to speak. We don’t earn His presence by sitting quietly for thirty minutes. We simply make room to notice the God who has been present all along. We approach with open hands instead of clenched fists. With curiosity instead of expectation. With humility instead of a checklist.
So… What Do You Actually Do?
You begin by slowing down. You notice your surroundings. You notice your thoughts. You notice the emotions you’ve been too busy to acknowledge. You notice what keeps pulling your attention away.
Then, gently, you return your attention to God. Sometimes you’ll pray. Sometimes you’ll read a short passage of Scripture. Sometimes you’ll write in a journal. Sometimes you’ll simply sit in silence. None of those activities are the goal. They’re simply tools that help us become attentive.
Don’t Be Surprised by Distraction
If your mind wanders, you’re not failing. You’re discovering how noisy your life has become. That’s valuable.
Don’t become frustrated. Simply notice where your thoughts have gone and gently return your attention to God. Again and again. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence.
Leave Room for God to Surprise You
Some days you’ll leave solitude with pages of journal entries. Other days you’ll walk away feeling like nothing happened. Don’t measure the experience too quickly. Some of the deepest work God does isn’t immediately obvious.
I’ve had moments on the trail where I thought God was silent, only to realize weeks later that He had quietly begun changing my heart. Not every encounter announces itself.
The Goal Isn’t an Experience
It’s tempting to chase a dramatic moment. To hope for overwhelming emotion or unmistakable direction. Sometimes God works that way. Often He doesn’t. More often, He meets us in quiet faithfulness. In a growing awareness of His presence. In a subtle shift in perspective. In the peace that comes from simply knowing He is near.
That’s why solitude isn’t something we accomplish. It’s someone we meet. Or perhaps more accurately…
It’s where we discover He has been waiting for us all along.
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