Solitude

One of the things that I am learning is that if you're going to press into God's Divine Will for your life, there comes a point where you have to deal with being alone...all alone. Solitude is not something that is necessarily taught in our culture. As a matter of fact, as one German theologian put it many, many years ago, our society is almost structured to the point where solitude is not encouraged, let alone easily obtained. I believe this statement to be the truth. Most of our time is centered around groups or crowds. But there comes a time where God will call you "away" from the crowds, even your family, to get you alone to Himself. When we receive the Call to Solitude, let us not resist it, let us receive it; knowing that it is of the Lord and He is doing it for our good.

There are many people, young and old alike, that are wondering either why they are not in "significant" relationships or are not married. I would submit to you that part of the reason why God has a lot of His children alone "for a season" is because He wants them to embrace Solitude. Because our culture and the church has not properly taught how to appropriately approach and conduct significant relationships with the opposite sex, these types of "romantic" relationships become more of a distraction and a hindrance to our relationship with God rather than a Blessing. This is not the will of God. There are a lot of things that God "winked at" before (Acts 17), but these dysfunctional relationships, I don't believe God is winking at any longer. God wants our primary pursuit of Intimacy to be with Him! Not another man or woman. Yes, the Father created us male and female, in order to interact this way. But within the Divine Boundaries for which He has set. Since a lot of Christians don't have this understanding, it's important that we embrace Solitude so that the Lord can properly prepare us for the Life Partner (spouse) that He has ordained for us.

There will come a time in your walk with the Lord where He will deliberately call you to Himself. This is what He did with Moses (Exodus 3) and this is what He did with His own Son, Jesus the Christ (Matthew 4). If you're wondering why you don't have a lot of friends. If you're wondering why you don't have much of a social life (according to the world's standards). It's not necessarily because something is "wrong with you". It might very well be because God has singled you out for Solitude. What I'm learning to do in the midst of my Season of Solitude is wholeheartedly embrace it and submit to it. Why? Because there are very valuable lessons that God will teach you in the place of Solitude that He won't "necessarily" choose to teach you in the midst of the Crowd or Companionship. There's nothing like being alone with the Lord! There are things He will show you that no one else in the universe can reveal. These periods of Solitude are seasonal, they don't last forever. So if you find yourself in one, or sense that God is calling you into one, don't be disappointed, and don't be discouraged. Just know that God is ready to prepare you for your next level within your season of Solitude.