On Sunday, Ms. Cabrera died in an assisted living facility in Florida from a massive cerebral hemorrhage, according to her son. She was 69-years-old. None of us knows Ms. Cabrera, but her story is becoming all too common.
In 2018 Ms. Cabrera suffered a series of strokes making living on her own unrealistic. She moved into the ALF where she would receive all the help she needed in luxurious surroundings. Then COVID-19 arrived. What was supposed to be a cruise ship life for Ms. Cabrera became her prison. Visits from family came to an abrupt stop. Physical therapy was non-existent. She and the other residents were confined to their rooms. Her condition, both mental and physical, rapidly declined. Her family grieves her loss and cannot understand the isolation that deprived her and them of each other in the last months of her life.
Stories like the Cabrera family appear across social media. You probably know someone in a similar situation. God did not create humans to live in isolation (Genesis 2:18), and we are witnessing the impact when isolation occurs.
The outcomes from forced isolation should serve to teach us the dangers of voluntary isolation. Self-imposed isolation is the kind where we withdraw from people under the guise of self-preservation. “I just want to be alone” or “I need to get away from people” are standard retorts to life’s hassles. We believe isolation will relieve us of our troubles. In truth, isolation may pause an immediate pressure, but isolation alone will not solve problems. When those troubles rattle around in our heads during isolation, the noise increases. Isolation cannot and will not release us from ourselves. We take ourselves with us wherever we go.
Isolation is one more trick of The Deceiver (2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 14). Satan tempts us to believe that we are better off apart from the toxicity of the brothers and sisters-in-Christ in the local church. We wrongly conclude “I don’t need these people” (1 Corinthians 12:21) only to discover in isolation more darkness, more burdens, less fresh air, and less freedom.
While the Bible does not direct us to move to isolation and warns us about the practice (1 Kings 19; 1 Corinthians 7:5), the Bible commends solitude.
The sort of solitude that refreshes the Christian soul is more than just separation from other people. Scriptural solitude is the biblical practice of temporarily withdrawing to privacy for spiritual purposes. The period of solitude may last only a few minutes or for days. Generally, it is sought to engage in other spiritual disciplines without the distractions typical in the presence of people.
Donald Whitney
As we read our Bibles, we discover many of God’s people flourishing in solitude. Moses and Elijah in the Old Testament as well as Mary, Peter, and Paul in the New Testament received grace from God in the quiet moments apart from the cares of the day and the interactions with people. Over and again our Lord Jesus left the companionship of the disciples and the challenges of daily ministry for solitude in a quiet place (Mark 1:35), on the mountainside (Luke 6:12), in a boat (Matthew 14:13), or anywhere away from the fray (John 6:15).
Our Lord’s actions teach us the value of solitude that creates an environment where intimacy with our God is possible. The solitude is not the answer. The solitude provides space for the practice of necessary spiritual disciplines like prayer, Bible reading, meditation, and the presence of God.
Seek solitude that serves to refresh you as you receive strength from our Lord in the midst of battle weary living, but reject the temptation to isolation that only serves the flesh and further confines to the prison of the mind.
Pastoral note: if you are aware of someone in isolation who needs help, please contact me. Let’s attempt to help this person together.
As always, I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.
To read past Lunchtime Musings, follow me at medium.com/@mikeverway
Mike VerWay
Pastor for Preaching & Vision