Tuesday, July 10, 2012

A Week of Solitude

My husband just returned home late last night from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic with a group from our church.  I did not go and, admittedly, I looked forward to having eight days of solitude….eight days of doing what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it with whoever I wanted to do it with!!  How does that sound to you?  Dreamy?  Selfish?  Lonesome?  Awesome?  For me, it was all of the above!!

I prayed for several days before my week of solitude that I would use the time wisely….that I would not waste any of it.  I longed to sit at Jesus’ feet and spend time hearing from Him and worshipping Him.  I am soooo thankful that He and I did just that!  We spent so much time together talking, crying, reading, writing and worshipping.  I will be forever grateful for that time.

The only personal contact I had with people was at work and restaurants and shops!!  Well, actually, there was one lady who had not been to church in a while and we had talked about getting together for lunch sometime…..so I did reach out to her!  Other than that, I had no conversation with anyone!!  I ate out.  I shopped.  I worked.  I read.  I did DYI projects at the house.  Like I said earlier…..whatever I wanted to do!!

Solitude.  Needed. Beautiful.  Precious!!  I started a Bible study—one that would normally be done with a group—and I am doing it alone.  It was sweet time.  It was much needed time.  I began the week feeling fearful and anxious about some things that are going on—ended the week hearing some news that confirmed my fears and anxious thoughts—and that yukky feeling in my stomach came and I felt sick....then, after taking my eyes and mind off of the situation, the Lord gave me such peace and assurance.  I know it was a direct result of spending time with Him….saturating my mind with Truth.

Solitude--I highly recommend it!!

On a side note—do you think it is weird, sad, wrong, unusual, OK, freeing, _________ (fill in the blank) to have gone through an entire week with no contact with anyone from church?  Just wondering…..

3 comments:

Harrison said...

I don't think a week of solitude and not seeing anyone from church is bad at all!!!! I sometimes need a "recharge" break from it all - the environment, people, responsibilities, etc. I think it helps to refocus my thoughts about the church and what it's mission is; putting aside the "politics" of it all that I hear as a pastor's wife :) It's nice to sometimes just be an attender of another church once in a while too. Somewhere you can just "be nobody" and not "the pastor's wife". That short time away can always do me a lot of good!

Harrison said...

I don't think a week of solitude and not seeing anyone from church is bad at all!!!! I sometimes need a "recharge" break from it all - the environment, people, responsibilities, etc. I think it helps to refocus my thoughts about the church and what it's mission is; putting aside the "politics" of it all that I hear as a pastor's wife :) It's nice to sometimes just be an attender of another church once in a while too. Somewhere you can just "be nobody" and not "the pastor's wife". That short time away can always do me a lot of good!

Sara said...

I think it is a wonderful idea. Other "church people" do it, why can't we? So glad you had time to refresh and renew and I am sure you will be all the better pastor's wife for it!