4. It clears the storm of life and mind for wise decision making and planning.
Luke 6:12-13 tells us that Jesus spend time in silence and solitude when deciding whom to choose as the disciples who would travel with Him. And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him; and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles.
5. It creates inner space to hear the voice of God.
God spoke to the prophet Elijah right after he had come from a power encounter with the Baal worshippers on Mount Carmel. He had fled because he heard that Queen Jezebel had placed a price on his head. He hid in a cave and God asked him what he was doing there. Then God told him to leave the cave and that He would speak to him. Elijah saw a storm and then wind and then an earthquake and then fire. Yet God was not in any of those. Rather, God spoke in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19.2).
We are usually surrounded by so much outer noise that it is hard to truly hear God when he is speaking to us.[8] Solitude and leadership frees us from life’s preoccupations so we can hear God’s voice.
6. It allows us to disconnect from the world and deeply connect with our soul.
Henry Nouwen said, “In solitude, I get rid of my scaffolding.” And what is scaffolding? It’s the stuff we use to keep ourselves propped up be it friends, family, tv, radio, books, job, technology, work, achievement, our bank account, etc.[9]
7. It helps us control our tongue
James 1.19 says, My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry….
Silence and solitude can free us from the tyranny we can hold over others with our words. When we are silent and yield to the advice in James, it becomes more difficult to manipulate and control the people and circumstances around us. When we practice silence we lay down the weapons of words. It often reminds us that we don’t need to say as much as we think we do. We find that God can manage situations just fine without our opinions on the subject.
8. It helps us with the other disciplines
When we include silence and solitude it enriches prayer, Bible reading, and fasting.
What would you add to this list of benefits of solitude and leadership?
This article on solitude and leadership originally appeared here, and is used by permission.
References:
[1] John Ortberg, The Life You Always Wanted, p 84
[2] Richard Foster/James Smith, Devotional Classics, p 95
[3] Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines, p 161
[4] Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, p 358
[5] Whitney, spiritual disciplines, p 194
[6] Willard, The Divine Conspiracy p 359
[7] Ortberg, The Life You Always Wanted, p 94
[8] Foster, Devotional classics, p 95
[9] Ortberg, The Life You Always Wanted, p 92
