The Need For Solitude And Community

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Let him who cannot be alone beware of community.  But let him who is not in community beware of being alone. 

Importance of Christian Solitude.

1) When God calls us, He calls us individually, alone.

• “Alone you stood before God when he called you; alone you had to answer that call; alone you had to struggle and pray; and alone you will die and given an account to God. You cannot escape from yourself; for God has singled you out. If you refused to be alone you are rejecting Christ’s call to you.” – Bonhoeffer

2) There are certain things we have to face ourselves.

3) God wants to build a personal, one-to-one relationship with us.

• <Mt 6:6> But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

4) Brethren may not be with us all the time.

5) We need to have solitude with God to draw strength from Him, so that we can bless the Christian community.

“The day together will be unfruitful without the day alone.” – Bonhoeffer

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone <Mt  14:23>

If don’t cherish community: Pride and selfishness.

Besides solitude, Christians also need community.

“Into the community you were called, the call was not meant for you alone; in the community of the called you bear your cross, you struggle, you pray. You are not alone, even in death, and on the Last Day you will be only one member of the great congregation of Jesus Christ. If you scorn the fellowship of the brethren, you reject the call of Jesus Christ, and thus your solitude can only be hurtful to you.” – Bonhoeffer 

1) If not living in community, we will become more selfish.

• God doesn’t call us to isolate from the crowd, but to break away from self-centredness.

2) Christian community: Grow in Christ’s virtues; mutual encouragement.

• <Heb 10:24-25>:And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
• Christian community not only encourages us, but also challenges us.
  • Presence of spiritual brethren inspires us.
  • Brethren hold us accountable.
• “The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.” – Bonhoeffer