“ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28
Have you ever felt your personal time with God suffering a bit, or maybe even non-existent? Has it ever seemed like you were just going through the motions, or hurrying through just to get on to the next task at hand? This is where I found myself recently. I’d lost my motivation to be still with God. When I did make the effort, my mind wandered and I was easily distracted. The whole experience felt fruitless!
I also noticed I wasn’t handling life issues very well. Little irritations became mountainous, things in the news really rattled me, and I was easily overwhelmed by just about everything. I felt “stuck in a rut.” Someone suggested that perhaps I just had “the winter blahs,” but I recognized it was more than that. I knew I needed some intentional and focused soul care.
In Scripture we read that Jesus practiced soul care by withdrawing to quiet places during his ministry years. How reassuring that even God’s own Son felt overwhelmed at times by people and things, and needed some solitary rest and refreshment with the Father to continue on with His ministry.
I’ve attended spiritual retreats in the past, however, never anything solitary like Jesus did - deliberately hiding out to be alone with God. After conferring with my husband, I decided to do just that! I booked a stay for a couple of days at a local inn. The layout allowed for me to have a quiet space to be alone with no distractions (I silenced my phone), and to enjoy a personal retreat with my Father. I made a list of things I wanted to address, but also left myself open to the Spirit’s promptings. It was a blessing beyond words! Opening myself up to God, He showed me things about myself that I needed to repent of, to let go of, and to deal with - things that had contributed to my “rut.” He refreshed my perspectives, and rekindled my desire to walk in step with Him (Galatians 5:25).
I know what you might be thinking… not everyone can take a couple days off to do something like this. But, most people can set apart a couple of hours to be away from life’s distractions and be present with God. Maybe it’s a walk in the woods, or sitting in a favorite park, or just finding a room in your house and closing the door with a “do not disturb” sign on it. Whatever works for you, make some time to retreat from the world, rest your mind and body, and let God refresh your soul. You will be blessed!