The Hermit Life.

I personally feel like I'm living this life now, and I'm fine with it, and some may not appreciate this lifestyle, or think it's weird. Some may be living this lifestyle now and not even realize it. I'm not sure how I got to this point in my life, but I do believe the losses in my life, and my Love for God has sent me in this direction. I hope if anyone does decide to respond, they Pray first, because this is my life right now, and I need all the encouragement I can get in life, not to get out of this lifestyle, but to grow deeper into this lifestyle along with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hermit Life,

You hear about hermits more often than you meet one, and that’s because a hermit is someone who likes to be alone, far from people, sometimes because of their religious beliefs or maybe because they simply want some privacy.

Hermits like living solo, alone in the woods, up in a mountain, or sometimes they live in a city without hardly ever leaving their home. The root of the word is the Greek erÄ“mos, meaning "solitary.” A life of solitude isn’t for everyone, but a hermit chooses it for any number of reasons. For example, being able to honor their religious beliefs more fully. Hermits opt out of civilization because of not liking what the world has become ”“ too much war, or loss, environmental destruction, or crime, or consumerism. possible motivations to become a hermit.

The solitary hermit has learned that he can live in complete peace with no one but God. This is the witness the hermit gives to the whole church. He says to me and he says to you”“"See, I am a living illustration of the truth that God will supply all of your needs according to his riches in glory!” (Philippians 4:19) The hermit says, "See, I live in this cell with nothing but God. I am a living witness to the truth that you do not need all that ‘stuff’ in your life to make you happy. I am happy with nothing but God!”

Finally, the hermit is a living witness that the follower of Jesus Christ needs never to be lonely. We may be solitary, but we do not need to be lonely. We can move out of loneliness by developing a life of prayer, and through the life of prayer we will learn that "He who has God is lacking in nothing.”

Brother Frank I agree, maybe for a season he needs us away from all worldly things, to mold us into the person he needs us to be for his next season in our lives. The reason I feel he has me in this season "or maybe permanently" of life is, I love to pray for folks, I guess you could call me a prayer warrior, and I can be used doing that right here in my cave.

God uses us all in ways you or I may never understand. Maybe we just need more like Noah...Noah was fully committed to God's plan, it made no difference to him whether he understood everything or not. If only we all were more committed to God's plan, instead of trying to understand everything, can we dare to be a Noah?

God can use hurts and losses to get our attention to fulfill his will for our life. I don't feel I was beat and drug into this lifestyle from my losses or hurts, it seems to have come very gently and naturally, and I do very well with it.

Would a Hermit as you describe be on an internet forum having regular conversations?.....Just asking.

Brother Dave, most of us picture a Hermit living in a cave in a mountain, if you do a little research, you will see they're many different versions of Hermits, from City to Mountains to deep into the woods. My guess is to answer your question, if God is using me where I am, and using me to pray for others, the internet would be a perfect place. By the way your question didn't bother me at all, I appreciate your asking, this is why I posted this thread.
For some that may not understand the lifestyle of a 21st century Hermit, maybe this video might help.
https://youtu.be/eqsc3cf4PPs

Brother Bill: I wonder if my lifestyle (middle incomer, house, car, credit cards, Sunday church goin) is the ideal.
It's not that isolationism solves the Churches issues, but I'm sure it isn't middle American lifestyle that will solve them either.

Be blessed in where Jesus is taking you, I didnt find anything about hermitting in the new testament to validate such a living, I did find plenty to warn me of the excesses of mine.

Now if you start wearing togas...

Well Bill, If what is on that news piece is a Hermit, then I can understand you could consider to be one of them. It's not my understandaing of a Hermit. Maybe it's a 'Nuvo-Hermit!:)

I found it mildly ammusing when it was said that "they are bringing together those who choose to be alone". An oxymoron?

As GloryandDance said, I don't think the NT teaches a Hermit existence. We are part of a body, a family, joined together and dependent unpon each other. Shared life is the norm, not seperated lives.

Have a great Christmas!

Thank you Marvin for your very gracious response. Some may be able to seek the relationship with God they want, in the rat race of life, some may have to resort to solitude. For me personally I could not develop the relationship I wanted in the hustle and bustle of life. There were many times Jesus went to be alone with his father, I can understand why, we all have a different calling, even Jesus had his own calling. No Jesus did not live a life of solitude, but I truly think he understands the life of someone that does desire solitude.

I’m not seeking justification here, my message is, that we all have to find our best way to seek the Lord to gain the relationship we want. I have been living the solitude life for over a year now, and I’ve personally witnessed my relationship with the Lord strengthen beyond my most vivid imagination. We can all find scriptures to justify the lifestyle we live, I’m not trying to justify anything, with or without scripture, I feel that right now at this moment in my life, this is where God wants me, to gain a closer relationship with him, should I listen to God, or the thoughts of man?

Heydave...I found it mildly amusing when it was said that "they are bringing together those who choose to be alone". An oxymoron?

Edit: I thought this quote below might be somewhat appropriate here. God Bless!

"God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.”-Oswald Chambers

Mr Bill,

i understand where your at and I don't mean to criticise, I think the term Hermit just threw me.

If you are growing closer to the Lord through this that's got to be a good thing. Just take what you receive in your solitude with God and share with His body and those outside.

God bless.

The key to Mr Bill's post is this,

"...I feel that right now at this moment in my life, this is where God wants me, to gain a closer relationship with him..."

So, if any here on SI have had God speak to them about Mr Bill's life, speak now or forever hold your peace.

He then asks,

"...should I listen to God, or the thoughts of man?"

And we all know the answer to that!

May the Lord richly bless you Mr Bill as you seek and serve Him, worshiping Him in spirit and in truth.

I think some folks might confuse solitude with loneliness, but they are different. To me personally, solitude is the glory of being alone, but loneliness is the pain of being alone, I feel solitude is rich and full, while loneliness is empty and hollow. I heard Elisabeth Elliot say one time, "Turn your loneliness into solitude and your solitude into prayer.” In solitude you learn to "nourish in your heart the lively longing for God”.

First, I'm desire the solitary life for most of my time. Second, I have to fight this preference. To love my brothers and sisters in deed and truth and to have sincere love for them means i also want to share all things in common with them to meet their need, sharing me as well.

I was raised a Hindu and Hermit life style among Sadhu's (Saints) in Hindu religion is very common. Some are even worshiped. But I do not believe any religion that preaches this life style is from God. Jesus himself prayed for us in John 17 that we (true Chrsitians) should not be taken out of the world but kept from Evil one. Then any effort to remain away from the world is not from God. This is against the prayer that Jesus made.

John 17:15 - I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one.

Based on my experience of seeing Hermits (mostly in Hindu faith), there is nothing holy or Godly in that life style. If God can keep me in relationship with him only in a hermit life style then he is an impotent God. Hermit lifestyle is a direct mockery of God's power. Anyone who thinks that only by living such lifestyle they can get near to God is mocking God. An all powerful God whom Jesus believed and prayed to is one who is able to keep us from the power of Evil even in the midst of crooked and perverse generation.

We are commanded in Peter to hasten the coming of God. How can a hermit hasten God's coming? Only the one who is advancing God's kingdom by taking the great commission of making disciples can hasten the coming of Lord Jesus. Hermit life style is directly against the great commission.

Secondly as Haydav pointed, we are called to be part of a Body. An eye cannot stay alone, it will be useless. It will rotten and die. Same way any part of a body trying to live alone will die spiritually. Only in being a body of Christ, we can survive.

I am a man in early 30s, I have a wife and 2 children. I have to work to win bread for my family. I have responsibility to raise my two children for the Lord. I also have responsibility to advance God's kingdom. God has kept me in this world to be his light. If I have to live in isolation without any responsibility then why am I kept on this earth even after being saved? Only way we can be made Christlike is to suffer like Christ by being exposed to this world like how he was. Jesus promised us that the world will hate us, but we are comforted by the fact that Jesus overcame the world. We can also overcome this world not by running away like Hermit but being in it and still not being of the World.

I sincerely appreciate everyone’s feedback, if you read/reread savannah‘s post he said it best. I didn’t start this thread to win anyone’s approval, because when God is leading us into different seasons of our lives, many may not approve of every season. I personally would never criticize anything God is doing in someone’s life, who am I to even begin to know the reasons God allows these different seasons in our lives. I think God said it best when he said his ways are not our ways, his thoughts are not our thoughts. What a lot of Christians forget, is God not only speaks to us in truth, but also in the spirit. I also feel some folks have read way to much into my posts, I never said this was Permanent, although I don’t know how long God will have me in this season doing his will for my life.
God Bless!

Bill, in new covenant no one needs to tell another person what to do. For all new covenant disciples can know God. I never never tell anyone what they have to do.

Whatever I have posted here is what I believe as deception of Hermit life. Since I came from Hindu faith, I can see this deception clearly. I do not find anything Godly or holy in it. In Hinduism, only way to come close to God is through this Hermit life style. If I have met someone like you practicing the same in the name of Christianity, I would have rejected Christianity immediately saying it is nothing different from what the Hindu religion offers. But what I loved about Jesus is, he came and lived a normal human life style, with all worldly responsibilities and still he overcame the world. This Jesus is my example not any religious hermit. I cannot follow them.

RE : /// I never said this was Permanent, although I don’t know how long God will have me in this season doing his will for my life.///

It would appear that Paul may have been led to do something like this for about 3 years.

Many in the Bible seem to have been led for a time of solitude for reflection and communion with God.

To choose to be with Jesus is choosing the better way. Your circumstances are ideal for this isolation. Though I would caution you against forsaking godly fellowship when you have opportunity. You would not be online if you didn't have the spiritual impetus to engage others, recognize your dual desire for alone ness with Jesus and mutual edification. God glorify himself through you brother.

One of, if not the biggest temptations I personally have is not wealth and having things, but going into the wilderness and living in a cave or simple hut. So therefore I have put much pray and thought into the subject.

I think the first question anyone should ask themselves when they are contemplating going out into solitary places to live is, who or what is leading you in this direction? Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness (Luke 4:1). The man from Gadarene was also led into the wilderness but by a demon (Luke 8:29) or is it just by the flesh so as to live a relative stress free life? Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me". To some going into the wilderness away from people is an actual putting away of the cross and a fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. Others who may have been brought up in and lived a decadent, sensual life may be led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness once they are born again for a season, so as to let the things of the world fall off them. To them it is not a nice quiet, peaceful place but a battle, a fight. It is there that they learn to hold onto the Living God for their very life.

Another thing is those that are led out into barren places by the Holy Spirit are not alone for very long once God has dealt with them. When the word of God came to John the baptist in the wilderness the people flocked to go and hear and see him. Jesus asked the crowds about John. What did you go out into the wilderness to see (Luke7:24)? Also once when Jesus went into a deserted place, crowds sought Him out (luke 4:42). Look throughout church history the same thing has happened numerous times. The desert fathers around 300 AD sold all they had and gave it to the poor. Then they went into the desert, lived in caves and spent their time wrestling with principalities and powers. Soon just like John and Jesus before them the people came out to hear them in great number. Gerhard Tersteegen over three hundred years ago sold his successful business and moved into a isolated hut so as to dedicate his life to pray. Soon the Holy Spirit came upon him with such power that hundreds would gather around his little hut daily to hear him speak the things of God to them.

Francis of Assis first struggled with what Gods will for him would be, either going into the highways and byways to proclaim the good news or locking himself in a cell and praying over the world and his sins. He seemed to split his time and energy between the two in a way that few had done before or since.

So my advice to anyone wanting to live a hermits life would be are you taking up your cross or forsaking it? Only you can answer that question honestly. For me personally it would be a forsaking of it. Even though I feel lonely in a crowd, that is where Jesus wants me to be, following Him.

Blessings Steve