Practicing Solitude and Silence
This resource is based on Richard Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline.
“Today silence is one of the most essential disciplines of the Spirit simply because it puts a stopper on all this mindless chatter and clatter. It enables us to step aside from the noise and hurry and crowds of modern life long enough to allow God to create in us attitudes and habits that will hold us constantly in the loving presence of God.” — Richard Foster
When was the last time you stepped away from the noise—not just to rest, but to be alone with Jesus?
The idea of stepping away into quiet may feel foreign or even unproductive. But in his classic book Celebration of Discipline, Christian author and teacher Richard Foster invites us to rediscover something ancient and deeply powerful: the discipline of solitude and silence.
This chapter is about meeting with God in the quiet and letting Him shape us from the inside out.
Originally published in 1978, Celebration of Discipline has become one of the most influential Christian books on spiritual formation in modern times. Foster walks readers through twelve biblical practices that help deepen our walk with Christ—disciplines such as prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, confession, and more.
Among them is one we rarely talk about in the modern church: solitude and silence. Not because it’s unimportant, but because it's inconvenient.
It asks something radical of us: to stop. To make room for God without distraction. To come away not just to rest, but to listen.
Even Jesus began his public ministry with 40 days of withdrawal into the desert wilderness to fast and pray in solitude and silence.
Why Solitude and Silence Matter
Foster emphasizes that the purpose of solitude is not isolation—it’s communion. The aim is not to run from the world, but to step away long enough to be re-centered in Christ.
We see this modeled by Jesus Himself. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently “withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Even as crowds pressed in, even as ministry needs surrounded Him, Jesus prioritized time alone with the Father.
In solitude, we aren't running from people—we’re running to God.
Silence and solitude are tools of intimacy.
They allow us to hear God’s voice more clearly, respond more humbly, and live more obediently.
“…all of our experiences in solitude are done in the presence of the living God. We are, after all, experiencing solitude as a Christian spiritual discipline. In times of solitude, we become enveloped in God’s very presence.” — Richard Foster
Solitude Is Fellowship with God, Not Loneliness
Many confuse solitude with loneliness, but Foster is clear: they are not the same.
Loneliness is inner emptiness—feeling cut off and unseen.
Solitude, when practiced with God, is inner fullness—a space where we are fully known and deeply met by Him.
Christian solitude is always relational. It’s a withdrawing from others to draw near to the Lord.
As Jesus says in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Solitude is about clearing space so we can hear that voice.
The Role of Silence is More Than Just Quiet
Foster writes, “Without silence there is no solitude.” The two are inseparable.
Biblical silence isn’t merely the absence of sound, but rather a posture of humility and receptivity before God. The prophet Habakkuk declares, “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Habakkuk 2:20).
Silence reveals what we often cover with words—our anxiety, our self-justification, our hurry. But it also creates space where God can speak into those very places. In silence, we stop performing, stop controlling, stop striving. We can sit still and say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).
Many believers don’t avoid solitude because they’re lazy but because they’re afraid. In his book, Foster acknowledges this: solitude confronts us with our restlessness, our pain, our emptiness, and our need. But that’s exactly why it’s so powerful. God does not meet us in the image we project to the world… He meets us in our actual condition.
If we run from silence, we may also be running from healing. When we stop fearing solitude and start embracing it as a place of honest encounter with God, we might begin to experience its true gift… freedom.
“God uses our experiences of solitude to enable us to become who we truly are. We begin, slowly at first, to live simply before God. Increasingly we come to see things in the light of eternity, and as a result, successes and failures no longer impress us or oppress us. Experiences of solitude root in us a deep, abiding hope; a hope that sees everything in the light of God’s overriding governance for good. In solitude we are so bathed in God’s greatness and goodness that we come to see the immense value of our own soul. The result is that we become increasingly freed from our frantic human strivings.” — Richard Foster
What God Forms in Us Through Solitude and Silence
When we create space for solitude and silence, we open ourselves to be shaped by the Holy Spirit in powerful ways. Here are a few:
1. Clarity — When the noise is stripped away, the still small voice of the Lord becomes clearer. He gives us wisdom, perspective, and peace.
2. Humility — Solitude reminds us we are not the center. Silence teaches us to wait. Together, they form the heart of one who is dependent on Christ.
3. Healing — In the quiet, the Holy Spirit surfaces what needs to be healed. Pain, fear, or lies we’ve believed come into the light—so the truth can set us free.
4. Courage — Foster writes that solitude is the furnace of transformation. We don’t retreat from the world to escape it, but to return with clarity, conviction, and power from Jesus.
5. Compassion — The fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and compassion for others (p. 95). Investing time in solitude enables us to better engage with the world. Foster writes, “There comes a new freedom to be with people. There is new attentiveness to their needs, new responsiveness to their hurts.”
Practicing Solitude and Silence
These are tangible disciplines meant to be built into your actual life. And like any discipline, they simply require intentionality, consistency, and grace for when you miss it. But over time, these disciplines will shape you into someone who knows how to abide—not just believe.
Start where you are and make space for Jesus to meet you. Don’t think you have to get it perfect right off the bat!
Here are five practical ways to start practicing solitude and silence:
1. Begin Your Morning With Holy Stillness
Before the texts start buzzing and the world begins speaking, be still before the Lord. No music, no multitasking, no requests—just sit with Him.
Start with 5–10 minutes of silence and say: “Here I am, Lord.”
Meditate on a short Scripture like Psalm 62:1: “For God alone my soul waits in silence…”
Let your heart be quiet and open. Don't force it. Just wait.
Don’t just check a box. Train your soul to listen before it speaks.
2. Practice “Little Solitudes” Throughout the Day
Foster calls these the “micromoments of solitude”, or natural pauses where we can turn inward and upward.
In the car with no music
While waiting in line
During a walk without earbuds
Washing dishes or folding laundry
Instead of filling every crack with noise or productivity, use these moments to invite God into the present. Breathe. Listen. Say His name.
3. Schedule Extended Silence Weekly (Sabbath Hour)
Pick one time during the week—a half hour, an hour, or more—to retreat. Don’t go into this time focused on isolation—It’s about intentional communion with Christ.
Here’s a simple rhythm for a “Sabbath hour” of solitude:
Start in silence: Ask God to quiet your heart.
Read Scripture slowly (try the Lectio Divina style): Choose one passage and let it speak.
Journal only after sitting: Write what you sense—not what you’re trying to achieve.
End in stillness: No rush. Linger.
Jesus often did this. If He needed it, how much more do we?
4. Embrace the Discomfort—That’s Where Growth Happens
You will feel distracted. You will feel restless. You may feel like nothing is happening.
But solitude isn’t about what you feel, but about who you’re becoming and who you’re spending time with! The Holy Spirit is doing a deep work in the silence, even when your mind is noisy. Practicing the discipline of solitude and silence is your spiritual resistance against the tyranny of constant input.
5. Consider a Half-Day or Full-Day Retreat Quarterly
Jesus withdrew for extended time with the Father (Mark 6:31, Luke 6:12). You can too.
Bring your Bible and a journal.
Leave your phone in the car or turn it off.
Let the silence detox your soul.
Use Psalm 139:23–24 as your guide: “Search me, O God… and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Even once a season, this kind of retreat resets your internal life and re-centers you on what matters most: abiding in Christ.
Remember, this time isn’t empty. Practicing solitude and silence allows your time to be filled with the presence of God!
This is how we make room for the voice that truly matters! This is how we break agreement with the noise of the world and what the enemy is tempting us to believe and tune in to the whisper of the Holy Spirit. This is how we learn to be with Jesus—not just work for Him.
“Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” – Mark 6:31
And He is still saying that to His disciples today!
Jesus Is Waiting in the Quiet
The discipline of solitude and silence is not optional for a growing believer. It is a necessary rhythm of life for the one who wants to walk closely with Christ!
It’s in the quiet that God refines us. It’s in the solitude that we hear His voice. And it’s in the silence that we remember who we are—and whose we are.
“We must seek out the recreating stillness of solitude if we want to be with others meaningfully.” — Richard Foster
Take One Practical Step Today
Set a timer for five minutes and sit in silence before God. Let your soul be still.
Read Luke 5:16 or Psalm 62:1 and meditate slowly on God’s invitation to rest in Him.
Ask God to meet you in the quiet—and He will!
Again, the quiet isn’t empty... It’s full of Him!