Whether done at home or elsewhere, personal retreats can be helpful and spiritually refreshing. 

 

Get away from your usual surroundings if possible. A change of scene most often results in a change of mind-set. Do this even if you live alone. For a short retreat — say a half-day — head to a nearby park or even your own guest room. 

 

Take only a few tools with you: your Bible, a hymnal or another devotional book, a notebook and pen, possibly a media player with hymns, Scripture songs, or praise choruses. 

 

Ask the Lord to prepare your heart to meet with Him. Ask Him to protect you from spiritual pride and from undue personal introspection. The goal is to glorify, honor, and learn from Him. 

 

Make a general plan. Decide how you would like to structure your time with the Lord, but be willing to deviate from that plan if God seems to take you in another direction. 

 

Determine to avoid the extremes. It’s easy to fall into daydreaming and catnapping or cramming as though for a final exam. Think of your retreat with Jesus as just that, a time to retreat from the obligations and clutter of everyday life for the express purpose of getting to know your best friend a little better.  Balance study with reflection, reflection with relaxation, and relaxation with prayer. 

 

Create your own activities. Some ideas: bring your church bulletin and pray for the ministries, pray a hymn as you sing it, meditate on the Scriptures, write a poem or hymn to God, take a walk with Jesus, write letters of thanks and encouragement to those in church ministry, read the book of Matthew at one sitting (an hour or two). 

 

Evaluate your retreat a week or two afterwards. Look back over what you did during that time. Follow up on any ideas that still seem to have merit. Jot down any ideas you have for the next retreat.

 

— Compiled by Amanda Hudson