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Retreats are an important part of our formation as Christians. They provide us the opportunity to be alone and with God. In fact, the importance of retreating is something that we can find in Scripture.
Jesus often goes away on His own to pray and reflect away from His Disciples and others. This is an example of retreating to recenter ourselves in the presence of God before going out and doing our respective ministries.
Paul's experience learning and recuperating after his experience on the Road to Damascus can be seen as a form of being on retreat. It is an example of how retreats can be an opportunity for us to learn and grow in our faith, no matter if we are at the beginning or far along on our journey.
The Tanakh, or Old Testament, also has examples of going on retreat. The prophet Elijah, after being chased by his enemies into the wilderness, is called by God to meet Him on Mount Horeb. It is there that Elijah meets God in the "sound of sheer silence." Elijah retreats out of a need to rekindle his focus and mission. That is something we all need from time to time in our own journey of faith.
Retreats are all about connecting us back to God. How you do it doesn't matter, as long as the focus is on our relationship with our Lord.
Retreats come in all shapes and sizes. They can last a day, a week, or months at a time. You can retreat in your home, in a park, in a church, or at a retreat center. You can use a book, art, or an activity to focus you, or you can just sit in silent wonder within the presence of God.
If you need something to help focus your attention on being present with God, here are some activities that might help:
- Lectio Divina, or Divine Reading- Lectio Divina is a form of reading Scripture, or other spiritual works, that can help you live further into the stories. You can find different approaches to this method in books or online, as well as on the Trey's Thoughts website under the Christian Formation label.
- Reading- Reading itself can be a tool that can bring us closer to God and an understanding of Him. Reading can include Scripture, the lives of the saints who came before us, or other spiritual works designed to make us more present with our Lord.
- Writing- Writing can be a tool to hold your thoughts and feelings up directly to God, whether it is through journaling, poetry, or some other form of writing.
- The Daily Office- The Daily Office are the set of prayers that individuals and groups can use every day to worship God. These can include, but are not limited to, Morning and Evening Prayer, Noonday Prayer, and Compline. There are options within these services, although they all follow a set structure which can be helpful to some as they pray.
- Praying in Color- Praying in Color is one way, out of many, to creatively express yourself as you present your thoughts and feelings to God through art. The best source of information is through Sybil MacBeth's Praying in Color book.
- Prayer Walking- Walking can be a way we focus our thoughts and minds, and it can help us to be more present with God as well. You can use words or other tools to help center your mind on God as you walk, or you can take the time to let the Holy Spirit guide your movements and determine where you go on your walk.
- Prayer Beads- Prayer Beads come in many forms, including one of the best known forms: the Rosary. Beads and other similar devices can help us center our mind on what we wish to pray to God for. There are even set prayers that go with and can be used with some forms of Prayer Beads.
- Centering Prayer- Centering Prayer allows us to empty our minds in order that our minds might be filled with God. A good way to start is to set aside some time (30 minutes is generally recommended), find a word to help refocus you when your mind strays (such as "God" or "Love"), and place yourself in a comfortable and non-distracting sitting position. There are many resources out there on Centering Prayer as well.
- Napping- As one of my spiritual mentors used to say, sometimes what God is calling us to is to rest literally. Taking some time to sleep can help restore and renew us so that we can all the better listen to and be present with God.
These are only a few of the many types of activities that can help bring you closer to God. What matters is what works best for you. There are other resources to find activities that can help bring you closer to God, including Adele Calhoun's Spiritual Disciplines Handbook.
What matters most, though, is not what you do, but that you are first and foremost present with God. Sometimes refraining from being busy and removing all the distractions of life around us can be the best tool to stop and listen to God. Sometimes what we need to do to be present with the Lord is to not do anything at all, but instead to just be.
If something helps you be present and listen to God, do it. If something doesn't help, stop doing it. Change your practices overtime if you have to. Just remember to take the occasional and regular time to retreat and nurture your relationship with God.