Once the caterpillar has eaten and stored away all of its food, it begins to withdraw and isolate itself. Experts say this stage looks uneventful on the surface but beneath major changes are taking place.

Solitude is just as much of an internal state of being as it is a physical state. It can exist within the confines of a four-walled bedroom or a room full of your closest family and friends. Sometimes it is intentionally sought after, other times, life has somehow forced us into it. But the outcome is still the same, aloneness or separateness.

Saul of Tarsus, in modern terms, would have been known as a Christian killer, plain and simple. He wanted to go and gather and bound as many of the disciples of Christ as he could. The day he inquired of the high priest to go and gather more followers of Christ was no different. Saul was in the middle of his journey towards Damascus when he had an encounter with the Lord. The Lord admonished him asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9: 4). This encounter left Saul blind and he went without food or drink for three days.

The Bible tell us in Matthew 6:22 that our eyes are the mode of transportation that will either feed into the spiritual health or decay of our body. Perhaps, Saul’s eyes needed to be shut to prevent him from returning to his old ways. And this was God’s way of breaking Saul away from his destructive lifestyle. The Word also tells us in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of the Lord. Without his sight, Saul could concentrate on hearing and discerning the voice of God. Solitude in this instance was an opportunity to become self-reflective without the distractions of old habits, bad habits, familiar habits, or outside influences. Saul’s sight had been restored when he arrived at the destination the Lord had spoken to him that day in the middle of the road. When you arrive at the place God planned for you to be, your eyes will be like new and ready to receive the truth of who God designed you to be. Saul, who would later be referred to as Paul received the Holy Spirit. Paul’s accomplishments as an apostle of Christ would extend far beyond his former image. He is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the spreading of the Gospel. Solitude solidified Saul’s transformation. So you if find yourself in a place of self-reflection, God might be closer than you think.