The Benefits of a Life-Changing Annual Spiritual Renewal
05/01/2018 ..
Life is stressful. Mobile phones keep buzzing all day demanding our attention. Our children have activities that require our participation. Household chores need to be accomplished. Bills need to be paid. If we are married, our husbands deserve unhurried time with us. This list goes on. Women in every season of life struggle to find rest in the daily chaos of life. When do we ever find time for ourselves to unwind?
Sometimes we just want some space. Quiet. Peace. Just like Jesus did. He retreated often to empty places, but never for selfish reasons. His times of aloneness provided replenishment, prayer, spiritual renewal. Once he was refreshed, he could minister, listen, and love more fully.
If Jesus retreated to solitude, shouldn’t we follow his example at least once a year by finding a haven from the whirlwind of our lives, a time to pause and be quiet before the Lord? Completely detach from the world and drench our souls with the presence of God? Meet with the person who is peace?
An annual spiritual retreat allows us to change our lives through reflection, restoration, and revitalization. Here are a few reasons why you should prioritize time for an annual spiritual renewal.
Spiritual Rest – As women, we pour into other people’s lives on a daily basis. In order to shepherd others, our own souls need to be full. You cannot give what you do not have. To take a few days once a year for spiritual rest, restoration, and refilling is necessary for our well-being. By filling our hearts with the joyous love of Christ, we are more attentive to our own spiritual growth and those around us. Spiritual rest helps us live out the full version of ourselves.
Personal Reflection – Life is demanding. We all need some time to take a step back and say, “I need to recharge my soul.” An annual spiritual renewal offers a perfect way to seek out a serene setting, silence, and respite that encourages personal reflection. Taking the time to prayerfully seek God’s guidance, to hear his voice speaking into your life, requires focused time away from the demands of life. In the silence, not only will the Lord show you the direction in which you are to move; He will also reveal to you his timing and methods. He will provide all the information you need to live life wisely.
Grow More Spiritually Mature – Our faith is tested on a daily basis. Filling ourselves with God’s grace helps us confront the negativity in our society. Theologian Dallas Willard wrote: “The world can no longer be left to mere diplomats, politicians, and business leaders. They have done the best they could, no doubt. But this is an age for spiritual heroes – a time for men and women to be heroic in their faith and in spiritual character and power.”
Learning, studying, and growing are life-long endeavors in order to become a spiritual heroine. An annual renewal is one way you can push aside the world’s negativity and rest comfortably in the soothing arms of our Savior. Slowing down allows the Holy Spirit to teach us, to convict us of our sin – gives us time to grow. With our faith replenished, we can face the world head on once again with divine peace.
Time to Enjoy God – We all long for God’s presence, as a deer pants for streams of water. Delighting in God provides focus and clarity about the lover of your soul. Solitude ushers in a continual conversation with God as you walk with him, talk with him, and wait to hear his answer. By pausing, we can relish the relationship we have with the God of the universe. What a privilege it is to know him! Plan some unhurried time into your calendar just to be with him.
Builds Character – Ultimately the core goal of annual renewal is be honest with God and cooperate with his goal of building your character. An annual renewal is about contemplation, introspection, and reflection. God’s ultimate purpose for your life is a deep, abiding relationship with him. After spiritual renewal, you are not only relaxed, but your eyes are open to the changes needed to facilitate a closer connection to God. As Dallas Willard wrote, “Solitude well practiced will break the power of busyness, haste, isolation, and loneliness. You will see that the world is not on your shoulders after all. You will find yourself, and God will find you in new ways.”
All of us face limitations. But those who wait on the Lord will find themselves filled with the strength of the eagle (Isaiah 40:28 - 31). An annual spiritual renewal teaches us how to be women who daily place their dependence on God in every season of life.
Ladies, we are so excited for our upcoming retreat time together as we connect around our theme “Refuge” May 18-20. This will be a special time and we are asking for each of you to invite someone to join us. I am sure as you think of the word refuge, and your need for Sabbath, silence and rest, you can think of someone else that may need to experience the same. Here is the link to sign up or to send to a friend that you want to invite to join you: https://saddleback-womens-retreat-2018.eventbrite.com