The power of solitude

BY CANAAN NOVEMBER 27, 2020

After he had dismissed the crowd, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. (Bible NIV Matthew 14:23)

Takashi Saito, a professor at the Faculty of Letters, Meiji University, said in a book called “The Power of Solitude.” “I have a Decade of Darkness, a year of loneliness that I experienced from the age of eighteen, when I failed the exam, to the age of thirty-two, when I got a job at University. The time to dig deeper into loneliness and connect with the greats of the past through groundwater veins is a rite of passage to growth. Only a single person who transforms loneliness into creativity can reach it. “

After teaching and helping the crowd, Jesus climbed the mountain alone to pray. I think nature such as mountains is a place where we can easily feel God. This is because buildings and the like were created by humans, but nature such as mountains and the sea was created by God. Jesus hid himself. The characteristic of Jesus’ life is that he cherished the time of loneliness.

On the other hand, I think we modern people tend to dislike loneliness. Maybe we want to flock with people. We want to connect with people through SNS (Social Networking Service). If we don’t get an email reply right away, we’ll feel rejected, anxious, and suffering. If we hate being lonely too much, we will expect and depend on others. If we are only satisfied with the flock, it will be difficult for us to become independent. I think that valuing the time we spend alone will lead to internal growth.

By praying, Jesus had fellowship with God the Father. Jesus was a super star at the time, was praised by the crowd, and had many disciples, so I think he could have been touted, but he avoided it and actively became alone. He chose to walk as a single person. I feel that it is important to walk alone as a single person without being overly concerned about people’s evaluations. If we care too much about our surroundings, we will lose sight of ourselves and we will be swept away. A life that is just compared to others will give us a feeling of inferiority and will force us to live in a cramped way. Spending a useful time alone, living alone will give the person an imagination, make them aware of their uniqueness, and open up an encounter with God. Through being alone, Jesus spoke with God in prayer. The time of loneliness hidden from the eyes of such a person has empowered Jesus’ teaching and work, and is still exerting such an influence on the whole world.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, wrote in “Living Together” that ” those who cannot be alone should be wary of fellowship .” I think it’s because people who can’t be alone are vulnerable and tend to hurt others. Therefore, if we are satisfied with being lonely and confident that we are alone, we will be able to have true fellowship (a healthy way of interacting with people).

Modern people who are tired of flocking with others need to have time to be alone, free from what is being driven daily, meditate on God, and regain their own lives. Is it not? With the coronavirus, I think it’s an opportunity now that we spend more time at home than usual.

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