“Solitude is the furnace of transformation.“ -Henri Noreen (1)
Students have intentional time for solitude built into their day. Grammar school students have it three times per day; at arrival, the first five minutes of lunch, and just before dismissal. Upper school students have it built into classes such as history, theology, and literature as well as while common placing and during morning assembly. Time spent in solitude makes up about 20 minutes of the average day, sometimes more.
But why?
According to Henri Nouwen, “Without solitude, we remain victims of our own society, and continue to be entangled in the illusions of the false self.” She continues, “Solitude is the place of the great struggle and the great encounter – the struggle against the compulsions of the false self, and the encounter with the loving God, who offers himself as the substance of the new self.”
When asked what the greatest threat to Christianity is of our time, theologian Dallas Willard responded, “We must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives.” In a world of the glorification of “busyness,” we must train our students to glorify God more. The practice of solitude must be daily rhythms set from childhood.
We understand the magnitude of the depth of our sin and the glory of God the greatest during times of solitude. Let’s practice it together.
RECOMMENDED READING: Praying like Monks, Living Like Fools and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, both of which are available for checkout from the Parent Resources section of the Providence library.
(1) Henri Norena, The Way of the Heart: Desert Spirituality and Contemporary Ministry (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1981), 25-26
Providence School of Tifton 