Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
Week 8: Chapter 7 — Solitude & Silence
Read Chapter 7 of Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer. Key passages: Luke 5:16; Mark 1:35.
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Comer begins his tour of specific practices with the one that is most countercultural and perhaps most needed — the deliberate choice to be alone and quiet, and to discover what is actually inside us when the noise stops.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Comer notes that Jesus — who had a world-saving mission — consistently withdrew to solitary places to pray. What does it say about the pace Jesus thought was sustainable? What does it say about the source of his power?
2.He argues that most of us are terrified of silence — that we fill every gap in our day with noise, screens, and stimulation specifically to avoid being alone with ourselves. Honestly: how comfortable are you with silence and solitude? What do you find yourself reaching for when things get quiet?
3.Comer draws on Blaise Pascal's observation that "all of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone." What do you think Pascal meant by that, and do you think it's true? What does our flight from solitude reveal about us?
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