How to Take an Effective Personal Spiritual Retreat| 9 Tips

Sometimes, when I’m just going about my daily activities, I get this quiet but nagging push to talk with God. And during those times, I knew I needed a spiritual retreat ASAP. The thing about spiritual retreats is that it doesn’t have to take a week or a month; it can just be a moment or two out of your busy schedule.

God speaks in a small, still, and quiet voice that we sometimes drown Him out unknowingly due to the voices in our minds. This means that for us, these retreats are more than just activities; they are survival kits we need in this present world.

There are several ways to take a personal spiritual retreat, such as at home in your room, closet, or any secluded place. The main point is to be somewhere quiet and away from distractions to spend time with God. 

Personal retreats like these are important and should be done at least once every three months (personal opinion). This is because spiritual retreats are like detoxing to a believer. It helps you focus on God and filter out the dirts of society and the world. You gain new insights into God’s plan for your life, check up to see if you are still in the faith, and renew your strength.

Living and interacting with a world that has seemed to forget God and is neck-deep in moral decadence, it’s no wonder the frequency of conditioning we need to do for our minds and spirit. There are several other benefits I will discuss in detail later in this post.

What is a spiritual retreat?

A spiritual retreat is a time taken out of your busy schedule to spend time alone with God as a way to condition your mind, align your heart, and renew your strength. It is a time when you surrender your spirit, body, and soul to the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit to set things right.

The psalmist said, “Search me O God and know my heart: Try me and know my thoughts and see if there be a wicked way in me.” Psalm 139:23 This is what happens during a spiritual retreat.

During a spiritual retreat, you get new instructions for your new seasons, direction for future decisions, promises for the future, and an overwhelming sense of peace and contentment with life. 

Benefits of taking a personal spiritual retreat

• Spiritual renewal: In Isaiah, the Bible tells us that “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, mount up with wings as eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not faint.”

The word ‘wait on the Lord’ is synonymous with a personal spiritual retreat. This verse already emphasizes how taking time to be alone with God and waiting for Him to talk to us gives us the strength to carry on with life.

• Increase your faith: There is something about hearing God speak to you: it gives you the good kind of chills where you feel that anything is possible. When you take time out with God, you will inevitably hear Him talk with you, which will help to increase your faith because now, you understand that the promises in the Bible are real and possible.

• Stay updated: One of my favorite benefits of personal retreats. Whenever I take time out to be alone with God, I get clarity (the without-a-doubt kind of clarity). It’s like God decides to show me His plans for me using virtual reality beyond HD. Personal retreats keep you up-to-date with God’s plan and purpose for your life.

• Clarity for future decisions: As I said earlier, it keeps you updated on God’s plan for you and informs your choices and decisions. For example, you might be hovering between 2-3 jobs and unsure which one to pick. God will clearly show you His preferred choice for you that also aligns with His future plans. When you make decisions without taking your spiritual time out, it is easy to confuse the voice of your mind with the voice of God.

• Hunger for God: Now, let me just go ahead and ask you this: “have you ever gone to the presence of God and left without wanting more?” I doubt it. Looking at the world around you, you will understand that you need to hunger constantly for God because you need that hunger to remind you how vital food (spiritual) is.

How to take an effective spiritual retreat

Most tips here are from personal experience, so note that these tips aren’t compulsorily the only way you can have a personal retreat. You might have several other peculiar ways to you and your walk with God.

Get someone to help

I include this particular point specifically for mothers. It might not be convenient for you to have time away from home or at home (if you are having an in-house retreat) and not get disturbed with calls from daddy about what to do with the kids.

Consider getting a close relative or a babysitter your kids are familiar and comfortable with to help with some things at home. This will also help you stay focused without worrying about your kids every minute.

Carve out the time

When you have a substitute all figured out and you’ve reached an agreement, the next thing to do is carve out the time based on the agreement. If the person is available for a day, your retreat will have to fall within that timeline.

You should also carve out a timeline based on your schedule. If you’re single or don’t have kids yet, you might carve out the time based on your off-days or holidays (as a student). This is to make sure your mind is free of worries or fear of repercussions while you’re with God.

Choose the location

When it comes to a personal retreat, I always use a quiet place where I know I wouldn’t be disturbed; if I think I might, I usually just go with my headphones.

Hearing noises and voices around me makes my mind wander, and because of my overactive imagination, my mind can wander for as long as 30 mins. This is precious time. If you are staying at home, you should consider using headphones, but if you have a quiet place as an alternative, please use it.

Identify your ‘why’

What is the intent behind this personal spiritual retreat? Is it for clarity? Reconditioning? Restoration? Spiritual warfare? Or a heart-to-heart discussion?

Identifying your reason will help you plan your schedule to make the retreat more effective. If you know why you are there, you know what kind of prayers to take. Sometimes when I’m going for a spiritual retreat, I inform a spiritual mentor and ask them to intercede for me while I’m having that retreat, especially for warfare.

Carry your tools

What tools do you need? 

I will stick with the basics since other things can become a source of distraction later on.

Bible: To read the word of God and remind yourself of His promises.

Journal: To write down everything He will tell you.

Pen: To write with.

You can also carry a snack or two if you are not observing a fast.

Lisa Appelo offers a free personal spiritual guide you might want to check out.

Set a schedule

What will you be doing, and for how long? This is what your schedule entails, and it should be detailed from when you start to when you end. 

Silence your mind

The last time I went for a spiritual retreat, my mind was so jumbled up, and I was confused. I had a major decision that would affect me for the rest of my life, and I was so scared. The moment I closed the door, I clearly heard God speak to me and tell me to just worship and surrender. Within minutes, all the worries were gone, and the focus had shifted to God.

I found out that worship helps silence the many voices in my head. Yours could be different: you might be listening to a message, singing praises, or even being quiet. Find what works for you, and silence your mind before asking.

When to have a spiritual retreat

You should have a spiritual retreat whenever:

• your burden weighs heavy.
• you feel overwhelmed.
• you have an important decision to make.
• you get unsure of what the future holds for you.
• you feel lost.
• you are weary of life.
• you are starting to lose grip of right and wrong.
• you are confused.
• you need clarity.

When you see these signs, it means it is time to close the doors and windows, and seek God ALONE.

Let’s Recap!

To have an effective personal spiritual retreat, you must be intentional, patient, and full of faith. Something else to keep in mind is to make sure never to think that you need to be somewhere else while you are in the presence of God. I know you have many responsibilities at home and work, but you must ensure that you are 100% with God.

After your time with God, you must be more careful of your interactions and reactions to situations. After a great victory comes great temptation.

How often do you go for spiritual retreats? Were they helpful? Let me know in the comments below.

READ ALSO: How to have faith in God without doubting (Coming Soon)

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