The first impression that gives when someone is seated alone in a corner and minding their business, is loneliness. People will keep asking “Are you okay?” And there will be attempts to disrupt the lone moment, by others asking if one would mind some company. Being alone brings with it a peaceful moment to introspect.
Having a quiet meeting with oneself creates an environment to hear the inner echoes of oneself, gauge decisions, measure plans, and actually grow spiritually. These moments do not need commentators.
Small Still Voice
1 Kings 19:11-13 typifies the need to wait in diminished noise, to hear the voice of God. The small still voice, soft as the shadow, is a way that the soul finds clarity and purpose. Hannah’s quiet mumbles (1 Samuel 1:13) produced results, whereas she was accused of being drunk. And right there is the mentality of crowds: making you double-guess yourself, inhibiting your communication with God, casting a cloud of doubt over one’s own introspection.
Crowds have the unique ability to witness (Hebrew 12:1) against someone, to the point of disabling the flow of thoughts, or pursuit of clarity. But this is the truth: many people are lonely in the middle of the great crowds. This is perhaps because they have not found peace with themselves. All this is done to appease masses, and betray oneself. And issues keep piling, until the point where the center cannot hold, with catastrophic consequences.
Be Still
It is particularly certain that truth, peace, and clarity usually are found within oneself. Anyone seeking external validation is actively pursuing self-annihilation. Time alone is immensely underrated, and yet it is of tremendous value. Mark 1:25 gives an instance where Christ slipped away from crowds to be alone, and the end result was growth.
In Psalm 46:10, scripture directs that one be still in order to see the exaltation of God. Making a habit of keeping one’s quietude in a corner may be the saving grace needed towards wholesome restoration.
It is a fair conclusion that solitude in the company of God is hardly lonely: because that is the perfect habitat for the Holy Spirit. That, brethren, is the presence of God.
[Akusala is the Founder of COPLER Foundation, an Advocate of the High Court, and Managing Partner of The Akusala Company Advocates].