Key verse: Psalm 62:5: “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him,” (ESV).
Spiritual retreat is having a quiet time with God during, which one seeks the face of God and hears from Him. It is withdrawal to a solitary place to pray and refresh oneself in the presence of God. Even amidintense ministry, Jesus instructed His disciples to “come away” to a quiet place to rest (Mark 6:30-44). Someone said that ‘retreats’ are times where you set apart time to be with the Lord, to be all by yourself and flogging it out with destiny.

The importance of spiritual retreat cannot be overemphasised in the life of every believer. The Bible is filled with instances of people retreating to be alone with God. Elijah and Elisha frequently return to Mount Carmel as a place of spiritual retreat. Nine times Jesus retreated to be alone with God. After an exhausting day of ministry to the sick, very early in the morning, Jesus got up and went off to a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:35). Jesus spent most nights at the solitary place to prepare for ministration to the sick ones (Mark 3:13).

Spiritual retreat is a place of recharging dying spiritual batteries to run Heavenly race with renewed spiritual strength, vigour and vitality. It is a place to reclaim lost grace and spiritual gifts. One of the purposes of spiritual retreat is to revitalise communion and fellowship with God and re-energise the devotional and prayer life. Withdrawing to a place of spiritual retreat is to be transformed in whatever manner God chooses.

Withdrawing to a place of spiritual retreat offers a time for spiritual refreshment. The act of retreat helps us to slow down, draw inward, and reflect in order to be refreshed, renewed, and revitalised. A retreat is a time to have an extended focus and concentration. When you retreat, you get rejuvenated.

Isaiah 40:31 says, they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Spiritual retreats afford us the opportunity to take a closer look at ourselves. We ask ourselves, where do we need to change? During retreat, we should examine our conscience, bad habits and character flaws. We should confess our sins and reconcile our hearts to God.

Jesus, Himself,modelled retreating when He would leave the crowd to be by Himself to spend time in prayer and with His father (Mark 1:35). Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:16). One of those days Jesus went to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God (Luke 6:12). Jesus used spiritual retreat as a time to refuel His spiritual power.

For example, in Matthew14:23, immediately after feeding the 5,000 people, He sent the multitudes away and went up to the mountain to pray and till evening He was alone with God. Spiritual retreat is about separating oneself from the crowd and distracting activities to be alone with the Father. Jesus validates the value of personal retreat time with God amiddemanding schedules. As ministers of God, we cannot meet up with the pressures and demands of ministry without investing time in personal retreat with God. The place of solitude is a choice. The concept of solitude is difficult in our society, so, we must make a choice on a consistent basis to unplug ourselves from the noisy environment and intentionally position ourselves where we can “silently wait for God.”

• Today’s nugget: Retreat is a place of solitude. Prayer: Lord help me to withdraw from distractions to seek your face. Prayer lines: 08033299824. E-mail: [email protected], Rev. (Dr) Abel UkachiAmadi, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.