I found that last year, I was needing more of a structured place where I could place a candle, have some cards/icons around me. So I set up an alter on a tea table, got a great old rocker to sit in and gathered my things I would need to be with God for an hour. This has worked just fine for over a year, but the other day, after Preacher man had gone to work and the neighborhood had calmed down, I took my things and went to the back porch and me and the birds spent some awesome time with God!
I know as the weather changes from summer into fall, I am lovin' hanging outside, but that will change on day's like today that are hovering around 48 degrees. The point I'm trying to make is find you a place, set apart, where you can be alone with God. It will look different for every person, but it should be a place where you can just be with God for around an hour. Now don't freak out about the time, you have to start somewhere, but you also have to shoot for something. Start with 15 minutes. You will find as you grow in your comfort with God, you will want to spend more time in His presence. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said Spend one hour a day in adoration of your Lord and never do anything you know is wrong, and you will be all right.
Solitude is where the changes happen in us. It's the place where Christ remodels us in his image and frees us from our false self. If you are in ministry, and we are all in ministry whether we know it or not, you need to have this time of solitude. I see it almost like plugging my phone up at night. If I don't plug it up, the next day it's running slow and shutting down. If I don't take time to plug into God, to spend time alone with him, well... you can tell!
Compassion is the fruit of solitude. We may just have to look at that next.
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