Solitude 04: Encountering Our Enemies with Ken Shigematsu
Oct 5, 2023
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Ken Shigematsu, senior pastor of Tenth Church in Vancouver, discusses solitude and encountering our enemies. They explore different challenges of solitude, distinguishing between God's voice and the voice of the enemy. They also discuss the power of silence and solitude in transformation and overcoming chaos and temptation. The chapter covers embracing silence and solitude, exploring shame and identity, and the practicality of incorporating solitude into daily life.
Silence and solitude provide a space to confront the voice of the enemy and hold onto God's unconditional love and our beloved identity.
Fear of being alone with one's thoughts can hold people back from embracing silence, but persevering through the challenges leads to healing and transformation.
Deep dives
Importance of Silence and Solitude in Connecting with God
Silence and solitude are crucial practices for deepening our relationship with God. While entering into silence may feel challenging at first, with perseverance, it can lead to a profound connection with God. The experience of silence allows us to confront our own darkness or the voice of the enemy, holding on to the truth of God's unconditional love and our identity as beloved children of God. Spending time in silence and solitude enables us to be filled with peace, joy, and contentment, transforming our hearts and empowering us to go out into the world.
Overcoming Fear and Resistance to Silence and Solitude
Fear often holds people back from embracing silence and solitude as a spiritual practice. Many fear being alone with their thoughts or worry about exposing themselves to demonic voices. However, by persevering through the initial challenges and embracing silence, we can experience healing and transformation. Silence offers a safe space where we can encounter God deeply and be filled with His presence. Over time, silence becomes a place of rest and peace, empowering us to live as our true selves and show up in the world with love and compassion.
Shift from Head Knowledge to Experiential Transformation
Silence and solitude shift our focus from head knowledge to experiential transformation. While many equate spiritual growth with acquiring information or achieving success, silence invites us to be present in the moment and open ourselves to the presence of God. In silence, we connect with the presence of God and experience His love, peace, and joy. This transformational experience goes beyond acquiring knowledge and directly impacts the way we live and interact with others.
Coming Out of Solitude to Engage with the World
The practice of solitude is not meant to be a permanent retreat from the world, but rather a preparation to engage with the world from a place of spiritual depth. When we spend time in silence and solitude, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, empowering us to respond to the needs of others and bring about positive change. Silence equips us to be more relaxed, calm, creative, courageous, and compassionate in our interactions with the world. It enables us to be fully present and embrace the transformative work of God in our lives and the lives of those around us.
In solitude, we not only encounter ourselves and who we are before God, we also encounter the voices of others. We can be met with fear, regret, and external voices that may be challenging to distinguish from God or ourselves. Is this why solitude can be so challenging? How can we tell the difference between God’s voice and the voice of the enemy? Why does solitude and silence facilitate this encounter with our enemies?
In this conversation, John Mark Comer interviews Ken Shigematsu. Ken is the senior pastor of Tenth Church in Vancouver, BC, one of the largest and most diverse city-center churches in Canada. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal awarded to Canadians in recognition for their outstanding contribution to the country. Before entering pastoral ministry, he worked for the Sony Corporation in Tokyo. Ken is the author of the award-winning bestsellers God in My Everything and Survival Guide for the Soul, and his recently released book (May 2023) Now I Become Myself. Ken lives in Vancouver with his wife, Sakiko, and their son, Joey.
This podcast accompanies the Solitude Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit https://www.practicingtheway.org/.
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