Just Can't?
Divine Rebellion Series: Silence and Solitude
Is hurry quietly ruining your life? Explore the invitation to stop in a world that never does.
Is this for you?
This is for you if you've started to notice...
- you're tired in a way a good night's sleep doesn't fix.
- hurry, noise and a never-ending to-do list are crowding out what matters most.
- it's hard to sit still for even a few minutes without reaching for your phone.
- you long for rest and for real time with God, and you're not sure where to start.
How are you doing?
No, really.
Take a moment to look under the hood.
How are you doing? Are you at peace? Is your life restful? Joyful? Playful? Do you feel like you’re enough? That you have enough? That you’re appreciated? Ever? How about your spouse? Your kids?
If not, you are not alone.
We have all been swept up into a life that does untold violence to our hearts and souls.
Worse still, we’re so used to it that most have lost the ability to even recognize it. That is, until something comes along to break the spell. Something that reminds us…awakens a part of us that remembers that we are more than what we do, what we have, or what others say about us.
You were made for more. You have been sucked into a ruthless system that pummels you with an endless drumbeat of doing more, producing more, achieving more, buying more…a system that has robbed you and your family long enough. The time for rebellion…divine rebellion…has come. There is freedom and there is a time-tested, God prescribed, divinely designed practice from “The Way” of Jesus for all who are ready to take a stand. That practice is Silence and Solitude. And it is a prime weapon in our divine rebellion against the soul crushing demands of our modern world. This one-day workshop is a place to begin exploring this ancient practice together, and the way to the abundant life Jesus promises.
What the day is like
Silence and Solitude is a one-day workshop that combines teaching, conversation, silence and solitude, reflection and prayer. We start with the why, then move through a series of simple, guided practices: stillness, noticing the noise inside, breathing prayer, feeling and listening prayer, and Lectio Divina with Psalm 23.
Much of the day is spent in quiet, with time to talk over lunch and together at the end, and we close with communion and gratitude. You don't need any experience with silence. If being still is hard for you, this day is for you.
Silence and Solitude is the first workshop in the Divine Rebellion Series. Other practices from the way of Jesus, like Sabbath, fasting or service, may join the series in the future. They haven't been developed yet.
Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30
What you'll walk away with
- A better understanding of the invitation to be still in a culture of relentless hurry and exhaustion.
- The experience of simply being with God, in a culture addicted to production and achievement.
- A handful of time-tested practices from “The Way” of Jesus that you can keep using at home.
- The take-aways and invitations you've heard in listening prayer.
A step you can take today
Ten quiet minutes
You can start practicing silence and solitude today, right where you are.
- Put your phone in another room, set a timer for ten minutes, and sit somewhere comfortable.
- For the first few minutes, just notice the noise inside: the lists, the worries, the conversations still running. Don't fight them. Let them pass by like cars on a road.
- Breathe slowly. As you breathe in, pray “Here I am.” As you breathe out, pray “I'm listening.”
- In the last few minutes, read Psalm 23 slowly, once or twice. Notice one word or line that stays with you, and carry it into your day.
If you only manage two quiet minutes, that counts. It's not a race.
I'm interested
We host this workshop when enough people are ready to go there together. Let us know you're interested and you'll be among the first to hear when it's set.
Workshop: Divine Rebellion Series: Silence and Solitude
Don't want to wait?
One-on-one coaching with Aric is available right now: pastoral, not clinical, and it starts with a free consultation.
Explore coachingAnd you don't have to walk alone in the meantime. In the Guided Apprenticeship app, you can ask to be connected one-on-one with a community ambassador. About Guided Apprenticeship →
Bring this workshop to your church or group
Would your church, small group or ministry like to host a workshop? Aric would love to talk with you about it.
Write to Aric about hosting →