What do you do to cope?

"Modern civilization is so complex as to make the devotional life all but impossible. It wears us out by multiplying distractions and beats us down destroying our solitude, where otherwise we might drink and renew our strength, before going out to face the world again. "The thoughtful soul to solitude retires," said the poet of other and quieter times; but where is the solitude to which we can retire today? "Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still," is a wise and healing counsel; but how can it be followed in this day of the newspaper, the telephone, the radio and television? These modern playthings, like pet tiger cubs, have grown so large and dangerous that they threaten to devour us all. What was intended to be a blessing has become a positive curse. No spot is now safe from the world's intrusion. The need for solitude and quietness was never greater than it is today. What the world will do about it is their problem. Apparently the masses want it the way it is, and the majority of Christians are so completely conformed to this present age that they, too, want things the way they are. They may be annoyed a bit by the clamor and by the goldfish-bowl existence they live, but apparently they are not annoyed enough to do anything about it." A.W. Tozer Of God and Men

The book from which this excerpt comes was published in 1960. It was the last year for the Ford Edsel, and the first Mustang wouldn't come out for another 4 years. That 'stang would sell for $2,368 off the showroom floor. It was a time before CDs and Ipods; cable TV, satellite TV, VHS, DVDs and blueray; desktops and laptops with highspeed internet access; pagers, cellphones, bluetooth and smartphones. London is now beginning to install padding on their lamp posts, as one pedestrian in 10 is injured, too busy texting to see where they're going as they walk the streets.

If Tozer recognized this happening in his lifetime, how much more difficult is it to find a place of silence today, a place where we can hear the voice of God, where we can wait on Him without concern for time? These days to not have a cellphone is a badge of rebellion, refusing to have a TV in your house is just plain fanatical.

Are there any Christians that this isn't a struggle for? Most of us would agree that in our own lives we don't spend enough time alone and in silence. Some may call it legalistic or super-spiritual, but it's really for our own survival. And whose life is it, anyway?

Feel free to share what you do to make time, how much time, and how often.