Do the words “a five-day silent retreat” sound like the last thing you want to do? I bet for most people it is. But, personally having experienced two of them, I admit they are my favorite kind of retreat.
The retreat starts with dinner and ends with lunch, where you can converse with people; all other meals are eaten in silence. The only other time you talk is once a day when you meet with your spiritual director for an hour, and you can respond as usual at the two services held daily.
After the first dinner, you meet with your spiritual director along with the other attendees who have the same director. There you introduce yourself, share a little, and mention a prayer intention for the retreat. That way in the silence throughout the days you can pray for each other. It is surprising the bonds that form within the group despite not talking–kind of like our connection with God when we just ‘be’ with Him. Before the ending lunch, you all meet as a group again, where you can talk and share what you experienced through the week.
The retreat center overlooks a lake where you can walk around, explore a hiking trail, or sit near a pond. I enjoy being outdoors most of the time soaking up God’s presence in His masterpieces of creation–the beautiful sky, clouds, sun, trees, birds, water, and sunsets.
In the silence it is just God and you, allowing time to think, pray, reflect, grow closer to Him, and just ‘be’ in His presence. Didn’t Jesus leave us a great example of taking quality time to pray and be with God?
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” –Mark 6:30-31 (NIV)
Jesus communed with God in the solitude often. If the Son of God needed to do that, isn’t our need even greater? It helps us to keep centered and focused on what really counts in this world–our relationship with God and spending eternity with Him. It is so easy to let the ‘world’ take priority in our lives. This world passes away, but heaven is for eternity.
But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. –Luke 5:15-16 (ESV)
Jesus often healed people through the laying on of hands or through prayer. He was ‘doing’ good things, but it shows us that we also need to have the balance of quiet time alone with God. How often are we busy ‘human doings’ rather than ‘human beings’?
Photo courtesy of Chronic Joy® under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Have you noticed how we can still communicate nonverbally? It is a gift that I experienced a few times during the retreat. As we would pass people in the silence, we might have been the recipient of or offered a smile, a wave, a wink, or a nod, letting others know they were seen and respected. One meal as I was sitting at the table by myself, some hands patted my shoulders; it was someone from my spiritual director’s group. It was a special gesture, knowing we were connected by the Spirit. I had a hunch that it was because at our first meeting with our director I shared one of my books with each person–the inkling I get to step out in faith. The next morning I looked into this person’s eyes while getting our food, and we embraced in the silence, knowing the Spirit was present.
After one service tears were running down my face and my head was resting on my arms that were leaning on the pew in front of me. I felt a pat on my shoulders and a soft kiss on the back of my head. It was this same person. I had similar nonverbal connections with another person from my group that also touched my spirit. Strangers yet connected in the silence and in the Spirit.
Photo courtesy of Michelle Ress under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. –1 John 3:18-20 (NIV)
We are instructed about the importance of putting our love into action. Saying we love is not enough. If we truly love God and others, we will be of service to others. Are we attentive to the needs of others in our daily lives? God knows what is in our hearts, which is where our actions flow from.
What a lovely experience it was when we could talk with one another, especially at the ending meeting with our director’s group. We were all smiling, much more peaceful and joyful, sharing what the Lord had done in each of our lives throughout the days of silence. One person felt led to write out a note to each person sharing how he was praying specifically for us. What a meaningful treasure that was. He also mentioned how meaningful my book was to him throughout the week. Every reflection he would read pointed to a Scripture he would then see again as confirmation. What an amazing God we have–how He orchestrates everything.
I knew I wanted to wait a bit before I read the letter he wrote to me. After lunch, mingling, and packing up, I left renewed and refreshed. I got a few streets away when I remembered I had not read the letter, so I turned around and went back to the retreat center, as I wanted to read it there. It brought tears to my eyes, and as only God could orchestrate, when I got back in my car to leave, there he was driving out with his wife and son that I was able to meet. It was the perfect ending to a sacred time with the Lord. Much to my surprise he emailed later to say he was hoping to introduce me to his family since he had been sharing with them about me. It was beautiful to see how God orchestrated that perfectly!
Be encouraged this week to…
… connect with the Lord in silence just ‘being.’
… seek desolate places to pray.
… put your love into action.
… see what ways you can connect with others in silence.
REFLECTION:
Are you being called to greater silence this week and to observe more?
Where is a desolate place you have to commune with the Lord?
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” –Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
