The Superpower of Solitude for Introverts

I’m pretty good at juggling multiple commitments and responsibilities. In fact, my number one strength per StrengthsFinder is “responsible” and my spiritual gifts include the gift of administration. Yet when everybody needs something at the same time, it can get really hard, really fast.

And when I start to feel overwhelmed or discouraged, I’ve noticed that I usually end up retreating. In other words, I hide away.

Can you relate?

We can’t just ignore these seasons altogether. They are just a part of life. But by creating regular times of intentional solitude, we not only prepare ourselves for these overwhelming seasons, but we also give ourselves moments of peace and calm during them.

Why is that? Why is solitude such a big superpower for introverts? Stick around and we’ll explore that together.

Solitude Defined

We can’t talk about solitude just by saying what it is. We also have to say what it is not.

Solitude is not isolation. It’s not about withdrawing from the company of others in a hurtful way. Oftentimes we isolate ourselves because we are struggling with depression or anxiety or grief. We curl up within ourselves, and in the end, it causes more damage.

I experienced this as a young adult. I built a wall around myself and refused to let other people in. And it took me awhile to break that wall down.

Solitude is also not loneliness. Loneliness hurts. We long to be in relationships with others, but struggle to find meaningful friendship.

Solitude isn’t even just about spending time alone, doing whatever you want. I mean, that’s one version of it, but it’s not what we’re talking about here.

True solitude as a spiritual practice is about being alone with God.

Benefits of Solitude

Solitude usually isn’t something introverts are afraid of. It’s something we yearn for.

Because it’s in the solitude that we experience peace and calm. It’s in the solitude that we’re able to process our thoughts and emotions, to figure out what’s really going on inside of us. It’s in the solitude we hear God’s voice more clearly. And it’s in the solitude that we are better able to seek clarity and guidance, listening to that inner knowing that often comes from God.

But solitude is about more than that. It’s also about freedom. Listen to how Nathan Foster describes it:

“Solitude liberates us from all the inane chatter that is so characteristic of modern life. It liberates us from the ever-present demands that are put upon us; demands that in the moment feel so urgent and pressing but that in reality have no lasting significance. In solitude the useless trivialities of life begin to drop away. We are set free from the many ​‘false selves’ we have built up in order to cope with the expectations others place upon us — and we place upon ourselves. Solitude empowers us to walk away from all human pretense and manipulation.”

Have you experienced that before? You are free to be yourself in solitude. You don’t have to try to impress anyone. You don’t have to worry about being “too much” or “too little” of something. You can just… be.

---

---

Power Up with Journaling

Solitude in and of itself is powerful. But you can “power up,” as my son might say, by adding journaling into the mix.

The quiet space, the stillness, is the perfect backdrop to writing together with God. Now, I know journaling can’t always take place in perfect conditions, right? Sometimes you’ve got other people around. Sometimes you don’t have your journal with you. Sometimes you have to jot a few notes down and then come back to it and write more later.

But as we are able, we can journal during these times alone with the Lord. It’s a safe and sacred space to talk about anything that is weighing on your heart. You don’t have to be afraid of your anger or sadness or overwhelm. And you can ask God to speak to you. And it will be His words that can breathe life and healing into your soul—especially in these seasons when you are feeling overwhelmed or unsettled.

Jesus’ Invitation to “Come Away with Me”

I was recently reminded of a passage in Scripture as I was writing back to one of my clients. It was the phrase “come away with Me.” Jesus says this to His disciples in Mark 6 after they return from their ministry trips, having gone two-by-two teaching and healing. Verse 31 says that there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and the disciples didn’t even have time to eat. Have you ever been there?

So He says to them, “Come away with Me to a quiet place.” And that’s His invitation to us, too, when life gets hard. Overwhelming. Heavy.

“Come away with Me.” For introverts, this quiet time alone with God is so precious.

Remember back a couple of episodes, where my client Rachel wrote in her journal that she needed abundant time alone with God every day. That’s just how God designed her. And I feel like He has designed me that way, too.

And so I’ve had to ask myself, how can I get more time alone with Him? What does that look like in my life right now? Maybe you need to ask yourself that, too.

Journal Prompts:

This week, instead of just one journal prompt, I want to offer you several. This way, you can really think about what solitude means to you and how you might incorporate it into your season of life right now. Feel free to work your way through all of them or just focus on one or two.

1. How does solitude make you feel? What emotions or thoughts arise when you spend time alone?
2. Reflect on a time when solitude helped you gain insight into yourself or your life. What did you learn?
3. How do you currently use solitude in your spiritual practice? What rituals or activities do you engage in when alone?
4. How can you create a sacred space for solitude in this season of life right now? What’s possible? What’s not?

And if you find yourself in a season of processing grief or trauma, I’d love for you to join me in the Journal Gently program. It’s an 8-week program designed to help you carry your hurt to God on the pages of your journal. You can learn more and sign up at lovedoesthat.org/journalgently.

Prayer

God, sometimes this world is a noisy place, and for introverts, especially, we long to find the quiet spaces and just be with You. Help us to meet with You on the pages of our journals. May it be a place where we experience healing, comfort, and peace—even when life is hard. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

RELATED EPISODES:

• Episode 173: [Written Spiritual Direction Session] Dialogue Journaling
• Episode 166: God in the Midst of the Storm: A Devotional Reading of Mark 6:45-52
• Episode 164: 3 Key Lessons for Journaling in Difficult Seasons
• Episode 159: Loneliness and Belonging: A Conversation with Sarah Westfall
• Episode 118: Tips for Journaling In Front of Others

---

---