Spiritual disciplines are deep work
This week I am preaching about the disciplines of silence and solitude in the Christian life. There is an irony about my preaching on this topic because the amount of silence and solitude in my life is nearly zero. I have much to occupy my time and my mind including a two-year old, a baby, a musical spouse who works from home and often in community, my own work in the church and the seminary, and all of the other minor responsibilities like bills and meals to keep me busy. To consider time alone for silence or solitude is something of a luxury.
As I studied for my sermon, reviewing Richard Foster’s chapter on solitude from Celebration of Discipline, I noticed a word I had not before. The term changed the whole concept of silence and solitude into something that made much more sense to me and resonated with our recent time in Hong Kong and the culture there. The word was “inner,” and was used in reference to “inner silence and inner solitude.”
The idea of silence and solitude is often spoken of as external, such as going to a quiet place or being alone. While there is nothing wrong with these, many people don’t have those experiences very often, and in certain seasons or cultures they are extremely rare. For example, I keep thinking of the myriad of high-rise apartments in Hong Kong with many families living in three hundred square feet or less, with no yard, no balcony and little green space to enjoy on their own. This is the norm among the densest population on earth. And with all the noise and communal space it makes me wonder if this is why the commute on their Mass Transit Rail (MTR) is so quiet.
The idea of inner silence and solitude is something that must be cultivated and is much more difficult than escaping a city full of people or the noise around us. Rather, silencing one’s voice to actively listen and emptying one’s mind of distractions, whether on people, ideas or tasks, creates an ability to be present to God. This is the work or discipline of silence and solitude. They require self-control rather than no noise or other people. And their purpose is not to become lonely but to be filled through communion with the Spirit of God.
Although not noted as professional activities in most fields, solitude and silence are forms of deep work. They take focus, need elimination of distraction, and even require boredom to wonder and hear well from the Creator.
Cal Newport, in his text Deep Work, hits on a principal true to Scripture as he digs into Carl Jung’s discipline of focus through solitude. Through Newport’s coined phrase, he describes deep work as “professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.”[1]
Throughout Jesus’ ministry he spends much time alone. But what does he do in those times? He communes with the Father…sometimes in such intense prayer that he sweats blood.[2] Christ has a mission and a focus, and lives an inner life of communion with the Father, which provides for many external opportunities of solitude and birth fruitful ministry to others.
Inner silence and solitude such as Jesus had, provide a fruitful way to enter into community and service to others. It is from the place of solitude and silence of our self, really surrendering our impulses to be in communion with God that we develop a healthy presence with others. This presence, based on the reality of our identity being anchored in God, allows us to move into social settings such as meetings, family time, social media, and other mediums in healthy ways that are whole. As Newport reveals, attempting to move from distracted communal space into productive space is counter-intuitive.
Newport uses several examples throughout his text including Teddy Roosevelt and JK Rowling to reveal the methods and fruit of deep work. In one of his examples of his own life and his desire to stay healthy he speaks of productive meditation, or meditation on something specific while in motion. “The goal of productive meditation is to take a period in which you’re occupied physically but not mentally—walking, jogging, driving, showering—and focus your attention on a single well-defined professional problem.”[3] This idea can be used for work problems or growth in spiritual depth, as Jesus and many others have in growing in their communion with God which, in turn, provides a basis for healthier work in professional problem solving.
Even when not having moments alone or in total quiet, one can practice communion with God, silencing the mind from other distractions and listening for God’s presence through the movement of the Spirit around them. Incorporating Newport’s techniques, particularly of engaging boredom and breaking from social media or the internet for scheduled periods, provides opportunity for less distraction and to engage with the Divine. But again, that takes deep work, and may be in the midst of holding a child or riding a subway.
[1] Newport, Cal. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World (p. 3). Grand Central Publishing. Kindle Edition.
[2] Luke 22:44
[3] Newport, Cal. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World (p. 170). Grand Central Publishing. Kindle Edition.
About the Author
Trisha Welstad
Trisha is passionate about investing in leaders to see them become all God has created them to be. As an ordained Free Methodist elder, Trisha has served with churches in LA and Oregon, leading as a pastor of youth and spiritual formation, a church planter, and as a co-pastor of a church restart. Trisha currently serves as leadership development pastor at Northside Community Church in Newberg, OR. Over the last five years Trisha has directed the Leadership Center, partnering with George Fox and the Free Methodist and Wesleyan Holiness churches. The Leadership Center is a network facilitating the development of new and current Wesleyan leaders, churches and disciples through internships, equipping, mentoring and scholarship. In collaboration with the Leadership Center, Trisha serves as the director of the Institute for Pastoral Thriving at Portland Seminary and with Theologia: George Fox Summer Theology Institute. She is also adjunct faculty at George Fox University. Trisha enjoys throwing parties, growing food, listening to the latest musical creations by Troy Welstad and laughing with her two children.7 responses to “Spiritual disciplines are deep work”
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Hi Trish,
Hope you and Grandma and the baby have recovered from crossing the international dateline. Thanks for blessing us all with the time together!
You talk about a new word for you, “inner.” I love it! My friend does not use the word inner, but actually says, “soul”. Do you think that is the same thing? I do.
I wish we could all be there for your sermon.
Thanks for closing your Blog out by mentioning riding the subway. Brings back so many memories of our collective time in HK.
Jay
excellent job!
Ive been struggling to find a way I can build into my internships and apprenticeships a way to foster solitude and personal reflection. Have you found a way to do that?
Trisha,
We both picked up the connection with Foster’s work. While Newport concentrated on the opportunities for financial gain that can be had for those who practice Deep Work, Foster highlights the Godly life that results in people who work at the spiritual disciplines. It is almost as if Newport had read Foster and decided to write a secular version for the marketplace.
How do you hope to encourage emerging generations to adopt the spiritual disciplines when they exist in such a superficial and distracted culture? Do you think we have any hope of fostering in them a desire for depth, solitude, and stillness? Do you have any methods you have attempted with young people that have succeeded?
Great post Trisha, and I wish I could hear the sermon that goes with it. Your thoughts on “inner” were profound and I think that is one of the only ways many people in HK can find solitude, is by going inner. I am going to take this little nugget and apply it to the times when I can’t be externally alone, but I can find my inner solitude. Sure had a great time hanging with you, your mom, and especially Lucy Lu in HK. Give her a big hug from Uncle Jake 🙂
THIS: ” There is an irony about my preaching on this topic because the amount of silence and solitude in my life is nearly zero.” is almost always true of any topic I preach on. I figure preaching is God’s way of helping me see where I have room for growth. I preach from a place of weakness and vulnerability because I’m usually struggling with the very issues on which I am called to preach!
Great post 🙂
Trisha,
Great discussion of inner quite and reflection. I think you hit the nail on the head with this post. With the crazy day to day life we live (nothing compared to Hong Kong daily life) inner solitude sometimes is the only way to find this time.
Thanks for your insight.
Jason
Trisha
Thanks for this reminder. As an introvert I love silence…but I realize I really enjoy quiet and not silence. I often find strength (alone time) closing my eyes and listening to music loudly. This gives a moment to focus and refresh even when I am on the subway with a hundred people. This has taken practice. I have found that this is where my “deep thoughts” come from as well. It has allowed some of the best prayer times. I hope your sermon went well.