Spiritual Disciplines for Deeper Intimacy With God and Spiritual GrowthSample

## Silence and Solitude We live in a world full of noise, with images that bombard us, attractions, and advertisements that promise a better life, comfort, and a life of meaning. In the end, these images and voices crowd out time to connect to God. We need to plan times and places where we can "close the door" and be alone, focusing on God and eternal realities. We need times when we can focus on God to the point that we cannot really hear the world's voices, images, and promises. We need to think about what we are doing, keeping us busy, consuming our time, directing our lives, influencing the things we talk about, and determining the attitudes of our hearts. God has his way of doing things. It is in silence and solitude that we can refocus. Since the enticement of the world is so strong, we will have to schedule times to meet with God. It can be for a few hours a week, sometimes a day or two. Obedience: Study the following three scriptures prayerfully and answer the question: How am I going to implement this in my own life, and when am I going to start? May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14). But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray ( Alternative translation : Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed) (Luke 5:16).