I am very fortunate to have a supportive Board of Elders who
encourage me to take several weeks a year to find solitude for reading and prayer.
An even greater joy is the opportunity to spend that time at the Pocono
Mountain Bible Conference, a Christian camp where I surrendered my life and
will to Jesus Christ some 37 years ago. Usually, I am the only one on these
spacious grounds for the entire week.
Solitary prayer was a habit for Jesus. Prayer
was at the center of his life (Luke 22:39). Jesus prayed because he needed to
pray. If Jesus needed prayer, why do I think that I can get along without it?
I find solitude very difficult. Don’t misunderstand me, I
like to be alone at times but solitude is different. Many of us, if not most,
are addicted to activity. We want people to be around us all the time. Often it
is an excuse for me to avoid being alone with God. Perhaps I’m afraid of what He
might reveal in those solitary moments, such as, sin I have not confessed; the lack
of repentance; or a call to serve him in an unexpected way. So, I find solitude
to be difficult because it demands that I be vulnerable and transparent before
God. It is far easier for me to speak than to listen.
There are many reasons why times of solitude are necessary
for every Christian. My thoughts are not original her but a result of many writings
on the subject of prayer. I have benefited from these wise insights.
First, solitary prayer avoids attention, spiritual pride, or
showing off. When we pray with others it is easy to pray to others, thinking it
matters more to us what they think than what God thinks. We have a tendency to
avoid honesty and instead try to impress. When we pray alone we avoid this
pitfall. We can fake it in front of others but not in front of God.
Second, solitary prayer avoids the distractions that plague us
every day of our lives. People have a tendency to get in the way of our communion
with God. Someone always needs something. The phone rings, we receive a text, someone
comments on our Facebook post, or we need to Tweet some nugget of wisdom. The
television seems to command our attention. We can’t miss our favorite show. And,
the activities of each day scream for immediate consideration.
Finally,
it is practical and sensible to find an undistracted time and place to pray. Jesus
had a simple cure to the distractions in his life. He got away from the crowds
and went to a solitary place. Solitude should provide an opportunity to
concentrate and focus on the work of prayer. The majority of Christians desire
to pray more effectively but at the same time see it as their greatest point of
weakness in their relationship with God.
And so I find myself at the Pocono Mountain Bible
Conference again. I will strive, even struggle, to connect with God in prayer this
week. Even in this place of solitude, sin wars against me and the desire to do
activity and to be with people is overwhelming. It is much more difficult to
find solitude today because of the accessibility to cell phones, the internet
and social media. Please pray for me as I endeavor to pray for you.