Silent Retreats: Who Needs Them?

To be remarkably brief, anyone with a busy life, mind, or spirit can benefit from a silent retreat. The advantages of a silent retreat are numerous but not inexpressible. Many of these benefits are unique to each pilgrim who dares to enter a season of silence.

For the sake of this post, I will list some of the people who can use a silent retreat:

• People seeking spiritual clarity. This category can encompass individuals from all walks of life, but it demands specific attention. This includes people seeking answers to specific prayers or discerning their life’s purpose. Time spent mostly alone with God places one’s soul front and center before God to spend quantity and quality time in the arms of the one who loves you most.

• People undergoing transitional discernment. I distinguish this because my experience in this area has primarily involved pastors and other ministry leaders. These leaders spend much time in God’s presence but often need uninterrupted focus to shut out all of life’s distractions to hear God’s still, small voice. It is troubling and exciting to contemplate how God may want to relocate you into a new position or place. This intentional time with God positions you to gain the clarity you seek.

• People reflecting on life’s goals. We all occasionally need to escape to think. The busyness of life can hinder our ability to contemplate the big picture. Where am I heading? What direction is life taking me? What do I want to achieve for the rest of my career (or even life)? Being away from the distractions of your daily experiences offers an excellent opportunity to step back and create a perspective on the grand scheme of your life.

Photo by mauro mora on Unsplash

• People longing to draw closer to God. They may feel distant from Him. The ultimate goal of silent retreats is to facilitate a deeper connection with God, whatever your reasons may be. You might not have grand ideas to process, goals to outline, significant concerns to address, or major decisions to make. Instead, you could simply join Mary at the feet of Jesus, listen, bask in His presence, and take time to build your relationship.

• People who need a break. I have mentioned busyness a few times here. The workaday world can wear us out. Those in ministry experience this often. So do parents, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and teachers. Times of refreshing become essential as an ideal form of self-care.

This could be an extensive list with more detailed information. I wanted to provide an overview expressed in generalities because you likely fit into at least one of these categories. I believe in the power of silent retreats and how they can offer healing for the soul, rest for the weary, and inspiration for the future.

What else would you like to know about silent retreats? If you want to schedule a time to speak with me specifically about one, follow this link. I offer retreats like these for individuals, groups, teams, and congregations. I also provide other types of retreats. You can learn more about that here.