The topic raised here has been one that has concerned me, as a young whippersnapper, for some time.
I am afraid there is an environment among us that has led to there being a lot of echoes and not too many voices.
We are a generation that would rather be in a herd than to endure the times of loneliness and isolation that it takes for God to craft a truly unique ministry.
A passage that has long been dear to me, and has been the launching pad for one of my favorite messages is this one:
Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
Jer 15:17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
There are times that the Lord will not share His man with anyone. These times when the Spirit calls you apart are invaluable.
We have a lot of young people who love to dance and worship around the altars when there is a crowd to be a part of, but who aren't as excited about the lonely night watches of solitary prayer meetings.
I remember when I was a youngster going to my first Family Camp at the Oklahoma Camp grounds...
Buck Treadway was preaching the night services, and I was so heavily impacted that I couldn't bear to go out and fellowship with my friends. the night guards ran me out of the tabernacle almost every night that week sometime after 1:00 AM because I found a corner to pray in after everybody left.
But I was accustomed to going into the woods for long seasons alone to pray. There weren't many other kids around I could spend time with where i lived.