Research

I love the fact that I can call going on an overnight backpacking trip “research.” Of course, I cannot wait for the day that I can call it “professional research.” I wish.

Overnight from 16-17 November I got to spend about 21 hours in solitude in the Superstition Wilderness. I felt fulfilled, lonely, honest, open, frustrated and deeply affected throughout the course of that silence, but it was all GOOD. I thank the LORD that I got to spend that time alone with Him amidst his creation and I thank the LORD that it helped me understand a lot more about myself and a little more about the lifestyle that I am exploring in this Recreative project.

Have you ever spent some significant time in silence and solitude? If not, consider these words from Tony Jones:

What do silence and solitude actually accomplish in us? When I informally poll my friends, I find that most of them have no silence and little solutide in their lives. They are awakened by a clock radio; eat breakfast to morning television; drive to school or work with music; talk most the day with friends, schoolmates, and coworkers; listen to music on the way home; have the TV on while they prepare dinner; eat dinner with the TV on; watch a movie or their favorite show; and fall asleep with music playing. Ours is a life filled with noise….All the noise and all the talking does not quell a major symptom of this depression [humanity's] – loneliness. Although we are surrounded by the stimuli of music, television and conversation (both personal and virtual), we often feel disconnected from other people, from God, ultimatley from ourselves….silence and solitude lead to a love of God, a love of self, and a love of others….Ultimately, we keep silence and solitude so we can listen better – so we can hear what God is saying to us and to our world….Humble silence opens the ears and causes the listener to hear that ’sound of sheer silence’ in which God so often speaks.

Thank you Tony. I found these words to be so true for me in the last day of silence and solitude that I experienced. For me, withdrawing from the iTunes, the TV shows and the chatter of busyness I was able to hear some sobering, but liberating, words from the LORD. Here is an excerpt from my prayer-journal as I contemplated the solitude of the wilderness:

For me [solitude] was a time of honesty and transparency where I could clearly see the sin within me, truly hear the condemnation and mercy of Christ and gain some perspective on how small I am and how great God is. I think it also helped me grow past the fear [of losing control]. Cause you know, light came and morning dawned and it was so beautiful. The canyon I felt trapped in yesterday became a place of freedom where God spoke and the silence was a blessing, where the LORD led me out of the darkness and into His marvelous light. With that perspective I can live life a little less fearful of losing control and a little more hopeful of what Christ has in store for Elizabeth and me.

Have you ever spent time in solitude and silence? Maybe it wasn’t in the wilderness, but what was it like? Where did you go? What did you learn? How did you grow? What did that ‘rest’ from noise re-create in you?

For me it re-created a desire in me to live a life dedicated to Christ, his Kingdom and to serve, love and cherish my wife as Christ serves, loves and cherishes me.

Amen. Let it be.