Solitude
One of the early Christian writers describes the first stage of solitary prayer as the experience of a man who, after years of living with open doors, suddenly decides to shut them. The visitors who used to come and enter his home start pounding on his doors, wondering why they are not allowed to enter. Only when they realize that they are not welcome do they gradually stop coming.
This is the experience of anyone who decides to enter into solitude after a life without much spiritual discipline. At first, the many distractions keep presenting themselves. Later, as they receive less and less attention, they slowly withdraw.
—Henri J. M. Nouwen
Making All Things New
It happens all too often. You’ve set aside a quiet time, only to have a cacophony of noise kick off in your heart and mind: thoughts of yesterday’s hurts, today’s worries, tomorrow’s responsibilities, all of it pounding on the door for your immediate attention. Nouwen shares a principle for us to consider: We can choose to “turn the ringer off” while we’re kneeling before the Lord, and the more we do this, the less we’ll hear their clamor. Note that he says they withdraw “slowly.” This takes practice. It’s hard to diffuse the tyranny of the urgent. But possible, in God’s grace. When you hear the burdens knocking at the door don’t answer, rather take those burdens to the Lord in prayer. “Lord, do you hear the knocking? HELP!” He will. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics