October 9 – The Gift of Solitude
In solitude we discover that our life is not a possession to be defended, but a gift to be shared. Henri Nouwen
Gregg’s Reflection
When I first began spending long stretches of time in solitude, I discovered how much I had been driven by compulsions—by the need to accomplish, to be seen, to manage outcomes. Left alone, without schedules or noise, those compulsions began to surface like restless waves. At first it was uncomfortable, even painful, to sit still and allow God to meet me in that emptiness.
Over time, however, solitude revealed something deeper: life itself is not something I own or manage. It is pure gift. In the silence of the mountains, I began to receive time, breath, and relationships not as possessions to protect but as blessings to be cherished. God’s sustaining presence became more real in the absence of constant distraction, like an underground spring rising quietly to the surface.
Solitude has become the place where I learn to release my grip and rest in grace. The longer I spend apart, the clearer it becomes that I do not live by my own strength. “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). When I return to community and daily life, I carry with me a fresh awareness that all is gift, and that gratitude is the truest response.
Scripture
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:26
When you seek me, you will find me—when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13
Ancient Quotes
Go, sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.
Abba Moses, Sayings of the Desert Fathers, trans. Benedicta Ward, p. 138
In stillness the soul encounters God and finds its true nourishment.
John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 27
Modern Quotes
In solitude we discover that our life is not a possession to be defended, but a gift to be shared.
Henri Nouwen, Nouwen Society Daily Devotion, 4/24/20.
Journaling Prompts
- When I step into solitude, what compulsions or false securities rise to the surface?
- How does solitude shift my perspective from ownership to gratitude?
- Where in my life do I need to loosen my grip and receive again as gift?
- How might I carry the awareness of God’s sustaining presence back into my daily rhythms?
Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 41 Reflection: Solitude