This is Felicia Ferguson with Christian Mix 106, helping you build faith for the future.
Every introvert loves solitude. We need it (and sometimes lots of it) to recharge and be able to be our best selves when we’re among people. But did you know that even extroverts can benefit from solitude as a biblical self care practice?
After Paul’s Damascus Road conversion, he spent three years in Arabia, likely mostly in solitude. Take a moment to picture Paul’s life up until then. He had been the chief persecutor of members of The Way (the early Christians), star pupil of the great Pharisee teacher, Gamaliel, and a Hebrew among Hebrews. His future was secure as an up-and-coming leader of the Jews. But then he met Jesus. With one conversation, his whole identity changed. His Arabian solitude likely allowed him time to unlearn one identity and learn a new one. But it also could have given him time to prepare for the work he would do for the faith.
The Bible is filled with examples of people escaping the press of people and life for moments and periods of solitude. Amid the prophet Jeremiah’s heart wrenching cries in the book of Lamentations, he encouraged readers to sit in silent solitude (3:26, 28). Isaiah also admonished the Hebrews that strength could be found in quietness, though they ignored his direction (30:15).
After confronting and killing the prophets of Baal, Elijah fled for his life. When he reached Beersheba in Judah, he then left his servant there and traveled a day’s journey into the wilderness alone. Exhausted and emotionally drained, he prayed to die. In that time of solitude and despair, God sent an angel to him. (1 Kings 19). The psalmist declared, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him” (Psalm 62:5 NKJV).
Jesus himself spent forty days away from others and then was tempted by Satan prior to the onset of his ministry (Matthew 4:1-12). He continued the practice of solitude throughout his ministry (Matthew 14:13; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; Luke 6:12). The apostle Peter followed Jesus’ example (Acts 10:9) even though he was much more impulsive and extraverted than the other disciples.
All of these examples prove times of solitude can be a type of self-care. And one that many believers today should pursue. I know we can’t be like Paul and take three years away from our jobs, our families, our responsibilities. Much as we probably would like to. But we can be like Jesus and find moments or even a couple of hours for alone time.
When you start out prioritizing this type of self-care, like the others, it will require boundaries. With others, but mostly with yourself. With all of our responsibilities these days (parenthood, work, friends, volunteering), you may need to give yourself permission to take at least take an hour or two every week. And when you start, you will feel guilty. That’s Satan’s ploy. He’s a master of guilt. Fight it. You may need to start in 10-minute increments build up your time. Now, what do you do in your solitude? Anything YOU want. Journal. Read. Take a walk. Sit in a park. Pray. As long as you are alone, you’re in solitude. When your allotted time is over, do a self-check before you return to your busy world. How do you feel? Did you like the time? Why or why not? What would make the solitude more life giving? And then once you’re back among people do another check. How do you feel? What are your interactions like? Chances are, you’ll feel refreshed and energized and able to pour out more of yourself to the ones you love.
This is Felicia Ferguson. Thanks for listening to Christian Mix 106.
