Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

Whitney commends the practices of silence and solitude (often done in conjunction with one another), framing them as among the most countercultural of the classic Christian disciplines. Following the example of Jesus, who regularly took long times to be alone in the wilderness, Christians ought to build times of solitude and silent reflection into their lives. Whitney uses Anton Chekhov’s short story “The Bet“ to make his point, showing how the central character found himself so transformed by years of solitude that he no longer even desired to win the wagered fortune that had led to his withdrawal from society. That kind of transformation is available for any Christian who chooses to build intentional times into their life to rest quietly in the presence of God. Whitney describes this as the flip side of the discipline of fellowship, saying that both are necessary to Christian growth and maturity: “Without exception, the men and women I have known who’ve made the most rapid, consistent, and evident growth in Christlikeness have been those who develop a daily time of being alone with God” (239).

Whitney outlines several benefits of the practice of silence and solitude.