Do you think it is possible to know God without intentional periods of solitude? Being alone can feel awkward. It's easy to equate aloneness with loneliness. I have seen people who never seem to stop moving and "doing," and I ask myself if they are afraid to stop and face themselves, their lives, their fears, their emotions? Distractions keep the days moving. But is this living the abundant life God meant for us?

I think we will always fight spending quiet time with ourselves and God because we have been conditioned in our society (at least American society) to equate busyness with productivity. I think we have to re-define productivity.

I have come to believe that it's a powerful thing to be able to be alone with God for long periods of time, having trained oneself not to feel guilty, not to be lonely, and to be refreshed by God in that place of solitude. I think we were made for solitude with God. It's the place where real relationship happens.

I have especially been pondering this question after having spent 2-3/4 years in a kind of solitude imposed by poor health and resulting unemployment. As I am now starting back to work slowly, part-time, I'm feeling challenged to maintain those times of solitude and feel the pull to get caught up in the frenzy of "doing" again. But I feel God has given me new vision in the quiet, disciplined place of being alone with Him. I don't ever want to give up that sweet fellowship and want to prioritize my life to include times of solitude with God.

I now ask myself: How have I changed in these years? Who have I become? What has God taught me in the quietness with Him?

Here's my journey…

In the beginning it was emotionally painful because I could not control my health. I remember agonizing days when my fatigue was so great that I couldn't "accomplish" anything - at least not in the way I used to measure accomplishment. And I mean anything. Day after day, week after week, socializing was too great a strain and imbalanced hormones produced anxiety like I've never experienced before. I cried out to God for meaning. I cried out to God to help me not go crazy. I asked Him to redefine my purpose in life. I couldn't see the answers in anyone's life around me. This was a new place for me. It was going to be just God and me.

As I continue, this is the story of how I was changed in my relationship with Christ through long periods of solitude.

Things started to change for me when I decided to fine-tune my focus. This meant taking my eyes off other people and what they were doing. Period. I narrowed my vision intentionally to God alone and asked Him how I could live for Him purposefully. I prayed: "You know everything, you promise good to those who seek you and love you, and you MUST have a way to keep me here. So right now, that's ALL I'm going to concentrate on."

God began to show me how self-centered my thinking was when I thought about purpose and accomplishment. As I sought Him for more understanding, He revealed something life-changing to me. I felt I heard Him say, "If you have the gift of breath today, the MOST IMPORTANT and MOST BEAUTIFUL thing you can do with that breath is worship Me. That is the highest purpose." Wow.

There were many things I couldn't do, but soon I started to thank God for the things I could do. I could pray. After gaining some strength, I could read. When I felt so weak that those things were too difficult, I laid there and praised Him and pictured His face.

As I focused on God every passing hour of the day, He started to show me new things. Instead of feeling like my life was out of control and I had lost my health, He whispered to my spirit that He was in total control and this time was, in fact, a gift to me. A gift of the rest and rejuvenation my body needed after all the years of hard work and emotional stress, and a gift of Himself to me, to learn more secrets of His kingdom. What a perspective change!

These were the first of a long line of quiet revelations that came to me as I focused on God and talked to Him and quietly waited on Him. No, longing for Him. I sometimes spent full days doing nothing but reading the Word and praying. I've never had the discipline to do that before nor would I have ever sat still that long. I realized on those days that I had done the MOST productive thing possible. I had raised my gaze from the ground of this dusty Earth and concentrated on the spiritual reality in which I live and will live forever. I had spent time with God.

And I began to love Him more.

One of the important things you can do for encouragement is to read scripture and if possible memorize scripture versus and quote them to yourself and others. Also I found it amazing and very encouraging to quote to myself and others his promises and to claim them. I remember a day when I just wanted to sing some praise hymns but couldn't remember all the words to some favorite hymns. I went to my computer and googled

Church hymns and listened to words and sang along and felt so encouraged.

I also have some warfare prayers that you could write for and when I read them, I am so encouraged. They cover every area of one's life that needs to be prayed for… for protection. I re-wrote the song God will Make a Way when there seems to be no way.

It too encourages me a whole lot. At the end of this article I will put those words here for you. Further, some years ago, my mother sent me a poem from Helen Steiner Rice called Seek ye first. I was surprised to receive it from her as she didn't want to hear anything about God or Jesus, but it is really Great.

Any of the above things will overflow your heart and mind with positive thoughts and feelings and steal away any negativity.

Attachments:

(1) A WARFARE PRAYER BEFORE STARTING MY DAY

Heavenly Father, I bow in worship and praise before you. I accept the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for me on the cross and receive that protection for Myself, for my family, for my friends, for my neighbors, for my mind, for my finances, for my home, for my spirit, for my soul and for my body.

I want to surrender myself COMPLETELY, in every area of my life to you. (please help me to do that) I take a stand ( and I ask you to stand with me) against all the workings of the devil, that would try and hinder me,and my family from best serving you. I address myself only to you Lord and recognize you as the TRUTH and INVITE you to live in me because you have ALL POWER, and CONTROL over everything.

Satan, I COMMAND YOU and all of your demon forces of darkness, in the name of JESUS CHRIST to leave my presence. I bring the blood of Jesus Christ like a wall of protection (a thousand feet high, a thousand feet deep and a thousand feet wide) between the devil and me, the devil and my family, friends, neighbors, my home, my mind, finances, my spirit, my soul and my body. I declare, therefore, that you satan and your wicked spirits are SUBJECT to ME by the power of Jesus and in the name of the Lord Jesus. Furthermore, in my own life TODAY, We (Jesus and I) destroy and TEAR DOWN all the strongholds of yours satan and SMASH your plans that have been formed against me, my neighbors and friends and my family. We further TEAR DOWN the strongholds of the devil against my mind, and I surrender my mind to you blessed HOLY SPIRIT.

I affirm Heavenly Father, that you have not given me the Spirit of FEAR, but of LOVE and of POWER and of a sound mind. Therefore, I RESIST, the spirit of fear in the name of Jesus because I have authority (POWER) over all the power of the enemy; and NOTHING shall by any means hurt me. I claim COMPLETE and ABSOLUTE VICTORY over the forces of darkness in the name of Jesus and I bind the devil and command him to let go of my PEACE, let go of my JOY, let go of my PROSPERITY, and every member of my family for the glory of God and by faith I call it DONE.

Lord I ask you to help me BREAK and SMASH the stronghold of satan formed against my MIND, my EMOTIONS and my body today, I give my thoughts, and emotions to YOU Lord Jesus, realizing that I am the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, I pray the Holy Spirit would remind me of the victory received in spite of the crucifixion. I ask that the _esurrection, and the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ would impact my life today and remind me that I am not beaten. I SURRENDER my life and possessions to you. I REFUSE to be LONELY, FEAR, WORRY, DOUBT or BE DISCOURAGED in the name of Jesus.

I will not HATE, ENVY or show any type of BITTERNESS toward my brothers, sisters or my enemies, but will LOVE THEM with your Love Lord, shed abroad in my heart. Open my EYES and show me the areas of my life that do not please you and please give me the STRENGTH, GRACE AND WISDOM to remove any SIN or weight that would prevent our close fellowship. I totally reject any negative thought.

Work in me to CLENSE me from ALL grounds that would give the devil a foothold against me. I claim in every way the VICTORY of the cross over all satanic forces in my life. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ with THANKSGIVING and I welcome the Holy Spirit to give me PEACE, JOY AND HAPPINESS.

Attachment (2)

Warfare Prayer II

I walk in the wholeness of Jesus Christ. I want to have outward and inward beauty because the beauty of Christ radiates from my presence. The Jesus that is in me is beautiful and the fragrance of the Lord follows me wherever I go. I am determined to be pure, spotless and blameless before Him. The favor of the Lord rests upon me and is abounding toward me in every situation. God and man love and accept me as I love and accept them.

Jesus has plans

and a hope for my future, I will fulfill every inch, every centimeter of what He has for me. Satan is bound from interfering with the divine path of destiny the Lord Jesus Christ has called me to. I will no longer let fear, doubt, intimidation, rejection or any other thing stand in my way. I run the race with a victors crown on my head and feet that are swift to reach the high calling God has placed upon my heart. I walk on high places in the power of the Holy Ghost, who resides Big in me.

I will take back everything the enemy has stolen from me. All of Satan's plans and assignments are canceled. I am fully equipped and equipping others in the art of Warfare. The high praises of God are upon my lips. I stand with a two edged sword in my hand slicing into and pushing back the Forces of darkness. The weapons of my warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. I am sharpened as iron sharpens iron.

I choose to have the mind of Christ and hold the thoughts, feelings and intentions of His Heart. I take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus my Lord. Every fiery dart directed at my mind is quenched by the shield of faith. I do not entertain vain imaginations. I think only on the glorious and lovely things.

The words of my mouth are words that are creative and bring life to all who hear them. Jesus has anointed me to heal the broken hearted and make the captives free. I am more than a conqueror by the word of my testimony and the blood of the Lamb and I love not my life unto death, but love Christ's life through me.

I am fully anointed. I am a chosen one. I am a general with the highest ranking in the Lord's Army. When I pray demons tremble and cannot remain in my presence for I am pure terror and dread to the enemies camp. Demonic spirits run and flee as I approach and do not manifest in my presence. I am the walking talking word of God in human form. The resurrection power of Christ resides in me. Signs and wonders follow me and I will do greater works than these because Jesus said I could and I will.

The love of God is shed abroad in my heart for all men

. God's love for me is unconditional. God is continually pouring out favor and blessing upon my life and the lives of my family members and friends. We live in the power and wisdom of Jesus Christ. In the freedom and favor of God the Father as our faith is working through love by the provision of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Goodness and mercy follow me as the angels of the Lord God protect and encourage me at every turn. I hear the voice of the Lord. Devine appointments, friendships, business opportunities, ministry connections, mentors and higher levels of wisdom, revelation and understanding come to me. Finances and resources will flow to me easily and without interruption. They will flow like the River of God.

I destroy any ungodly blockages from receiving what the Lord is trying to get to me. My family and I must be positioned for the purposes of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are in the right places at the right times. No weapon formed against us prospers and every tongue that rises against us shall be condemned. Word curses of others shall bare no fruit in our lives. They are returned immediately to the source from which they came. We are free from all curses because Jesus Christ is our protector.

Therefore, we will live in abundance, divine health, beauty, and full reformation. We are whole and thriving as a tree planted by the divine waters of life. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We abide in the Lord Jesus Christ and are fruitful. We are one spirit with the Lord Jesus Christ and see that all things are possible for us because we are joined to the Lord.

I am going forward and possess all the promises of God, right now. It is not by my might or by my power but it is by the Spirit of Christ, who is in me. I know there is an inheritance reserved in heaven for me, undefiled and incorruptible, that will not fade away and is kept by the power of God. I have the keys to the Kingdom. Holy is the Lord God Almighty. All the promises of God are yes and amen. Glory be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

ATTACHMENT (3)

GOD WILL MAKE A WAY.... WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY

HE'LL LIFT MY EYES .....TO SEE HIS PLAN...

ALL I.. HAVE TO DO... IS BE..... HIS MAN

HE WILL BE MY GUIDE.....DRAW ME CLOSER TO........ HIS SIDE.

HELP ME UNDERSTAND..... HIS WAY IS BEST....

AS HE ALLOWS ME ....TO GO THRU... THE TEST..

HE WILL....PROVIDE FOR ME....IF I'M PATIENT AND TRUSTING TO SEE

THE PROMISE HE'S MADE ..... HE ALWAYS KEEPS

IF OUR FAITH IS STRONG WE WILL NEVER.... WEEP

THE ANSWER .....IS VERY CLEAR.......IF I'LL OPEN ...MY EYES AND EARS..

HE'S RIGHT HERE....AND HE LOVES ME...AND BEST OF ALL HIS LOVE IS FREE...

THE REST IS UP TO ME.....WHAT IS MY ANSWER..... GOING TO BE??

AM I READY TO FLY......SOAR THRU SKY.....

STOP CRYING...... AND START FLYING......QUIT ASKING WHY?????

GOD WILL MAKE A WAY.... WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY

HE'LL LIFT MY FEARS.....TAKE AWAY MY TEARS......CLEAR MY EYES .....HELP ME REALIZE

ALL I NEED .....IS..... HIS PLAN.... DECIDE TO BE HIS MAN ...

GIVE HIM MY BEST AND HE'LL DO THE REST WITH HIS STRENGTH I CAN PASS THE TEST...

HE WILL BE MY GUIDE DRAW ME CLOSER TO HIS SIDE.....JUST.....GIVE IN TO HIM .......AND I CAN WIN.....

ALWAYS KEEPING HIM ........WITHEN....

"SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD"

Life is a mixture of sunshine and rain,

Good things and bad things, pleasure and pain,

We can't have all sunshine but certainly true,

There is never a cloud, the sun doesn't shine thru . . .

So always remember that what ever betide you

The power of God is always beside you,

And if friends disappoint you and plans go astray

And nothing works out in just the right way,

And you feel you have failed in achieving your goal,

And that life wrongly placed you in an unfitting role . . .

Take heart and "stand tall" and think who you are,

For God is your father and no one can bar

Or keep you from reaching your desired success,

Or withhold the joy that is yours to possess. . .

For with God on your side it matters not who

Is working to keep life's good things from you,

For you need nothing more than God's guidance and love

To insure you the things that you're most worthy of . . .

So trust in his wisdom and follow his ways,

And be not concerned with the world's empty praise,

But Seek First His Kingdom and you will possess

The world's greatest riches which are true happiness.

-Helen Steiner Rice-