Whenever I go on a retreat, there are many thoughts and feelings that occur before, during and after the retreat. Before the retreat often comes the beginning of the spiritual attack. You begin to doubt yourself, going on the retreat and sometimes even doubt God and his love. There are also many different types of thoughts and feeling that occur during the retreat along with a continuation of the spiritual attack. After the retreat there is often reflection, attempts to put lessons learned and experiences into action along with the final push of spiritual attack. The devil is constantly butting in where he does not belong. He tries to make you doubt both yourself and God. Here are ten things to think about to help you both prepare and enter into your retreat.
1. Take time to pray every day.
This may be self-explanitory, but trust me when I say this step is important. Prayer doesn't just help your relationship with God, it is your relationship with God, so make it strong. You should try to maintain a daily prayer time during the rest of your year. In the days leading up to your retreat, the devil will try his hardest to break you and your trust in God. Don't let him. Instead turn to God even more by spending time in prayer.
2. It's not all about the feelings.
Often while on retreats, people will share their big moments with God. How they really felt this or that. That's great! But don't just get hung up on the feelings. Not everyone experiences God in the same way, so if you're not getting emotional or having a huge moment full of feelings with God, it is okay. You are still capable of having a great retreat and you can still grow from it.
3. Spiritual dryness isn't a real thing.
This tip is very similar to the last one. Spiritual dryness, is when you aren't experiencing those huge feelings, balling your eyes out or whatever big way people experience God. Just because you may be experiencing spiritual dryness, does not mean your retreat will not be as 'good' as someone else's is, or that God has suddenly decided to love you less. Far from it. It just means that God is choosing to work in you and through you in a different way. There have been times when I was experiencing spiritual dryness, where God has used me to help others when they needed it most.
4. Take time for just you & God.
Especially at the prayer meetings, is can be so easy to be wrapped up in what everyone else is doing. Don't do that. Just focus on God. Focus on loving him and letting him love you. You can sit and journal, you can praise with your hands extended, just talk to him and strengthen your relationship with God.
5. Pick up the phone and talk to God.
I don't mean literally pick up a phone. What I mean by this is that God can only work in your life if you let him. God will keep knocking, he'll keep calling but nothing will happen until you choose to answer the door or the phone. God loves you. Will you choose to accept his love and have a relationship with him? The ball is in your court.
6. Take a step back from social media.
Social media be used for so much good. But, it can also be a distraction. It can distract you from what God is trying to do in your life in the moment. While on retreat refrain from using social media and just fully enter in. God wants to do great things in your life. Don't miss them.
7. Wherever you are, be all there.
This is leading off of the last point. You're on retreat. Maybe you chose to be, maybe you didn't. That part doesn't matter. What matters is where your attention is while you are on retreat. Don't spend your time worrying about what is happening at home, or whatever mess of a life you may have left behind to come on retreat. You're on a retreat and God is really glad that you're here. Be fully present in the moment.
8. You'll only get out of it what you put in.
What I mean by this, is that your retreat is what you choose to make of it. Maybe you don't want to be on retreat and you're only there because your mom or dad made you to help "straighten out your life." You may or may not have had a choice in going on retreat, but you do have a choice on whether you will have either a great time or a miserable time. If you set out to have a miserable time, then you will. Or you could choose to make the most of it and have a wonderful experience.
9. Go and do likewise.
During however long your retreat was, you've had time to learn tips and lessons to grow as a disciple of Christ. When it is time to leave the retreat and go home, remember to take what you learned with you. The point of a retreat is to give you tools to use to strengthen your relationship with God and help you on your journey towards sainthood. Use what you learned on retreat in your everyday life.
10. Go and make disciples of all nations.
Now that you have been given tools to help you, go and give those tools to others. Don't shove it in their faces and beat them over the head with it. You saw how the leaders on your retreat were respectful and joyful when giving you the tools. You need to do the same. You can also share the tools by leading by example. By living as a true disciple of Christ. You won;t be perfect, but you will be doing your best. You will be striving for the greatness we were made for.
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