Step Away And Take A Pause

Step Away and Take a Pause

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me.

Psalm 23:1-3

We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and privacy, and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship,” wrote C. S. Lewis.*

Solitude involves intentionally stepping away from normal human interaction in order to grow in friendship with the Lord. We do not enter solitude to do things for God; we enter solitude to simply be with God. Solitude helps us pause regularly from work, endless activity, and overwhelming obligations to focus on God. Many of us avoid and even fear being alone—perhaps because without our distractions and defenses, we are left to face ourselves in the light of God’s truth.

As you practice solitude this week, you may experience feelings of confusion, distraction, irrational fear, emptiness, or even condemnation. If this happens, acknowledge these feelings before God and remember his promise to always be with you.