True solitude is an expression of the total gift of ourselves to God.
We need a retreat from the exigencies and pressures of life in order to dialogue with God. Thomas Merton outlined some aspects of the spiritual life that set the stage for solitude: gratitude, keeping awake, practicing humility, listening, and unifying our lives. He went further to say that silence is "the mother of truth" and is a divine milieu. He called the Psalms "the true garden of the solitary."
By surrendering ourselves to God, we not only glorify and love God deeply by letting God be God, but we also nurture our love for others while we are apart from them. This is the true fruit and the true purpose of Christian solitude.
Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
Isaiah 32: 17 “And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.”
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