In my blog and in our church newsletter I’ve been doing a monthly series about sacred pathways. This is simply a term that refers to the different ways that we connect with God. Up to this point we have looked at 3 pathways and you can read more about those in 3 previous articles from March – May of this year. No one uses only one of the pathways to connect to God, but we all have primary pathways that we prefer because of how God has made us.
The fourth sacred pathway is that of the ascetic. Ascetics throughout church history have been those who give up a normal life and relationships to focus on their relationship with God. They will often move away from people into caves or solitary places. More than this they live simply. The whole focus of these people was… focus. Getting away from or rid of things that would distract them from God and then using this space to spend great amounts of time with Him.
I kind of view it as cutting to the chase or getting rid of all the fluff. In our modern age we don’t have many true ascetics, and I’m not even sure we should. But there might be a more familiar word to describe you if you love to spend time alone with God in solitude and simplicity, away from the noise and distractions – introvert. While not all introverts are ascetics, I think all people who connect with God through the pathway of asceticism are by nature introverts.
One caution to you though if you prefer to be introspective, enjoy getting up early or staying up late to read, pray, fast, and just be alone with God, or if you can focus your heart and mind on Jesus even when you’re doing everyday chores. Here’s the warning.
Don’t go it alone for too long…
The bible gives 4 illustrations for the church (referring to people and not the building). A body, A plant (vine & branches), a family, and a building. Each of these show that we do need an individual relationship with God, but we are also reminded that we need others. Monasteries seemed to get this right. Monks would give up the distractions of the world to live a simple life, but they would do it with others. They would spend much time with God alone throughout the day, even while working, but they also balanced this with time with others.
If you’re an ascetic, if you love the thought of dropping the complication and noise of the world around you for a simpler life and more solitary time with God, then carve away more time with God. Find ways to spend time with Him even when your hands are busy with something else. But also get involved in community, you need it. Join a small group or volunteer, and share what God is speaking to you with others, but also receive what God wants to give you through the presence and love of others.