Oftentimes, we have “mountaintop experiences” when we retreat; we’ll have a renewed relationship with the Lord, a fresh faith, and a heightened desire to share the gospel. We meet with the Lord so intimately and fall more in love with Him than ever. The chains of bondage to sin have been broken, and we say, “when I go home from this retreat, I’m going to be a better Christian.” The messages we’ve heard over the last few days, the worship and afterglow times, and our personal devotions have touched us radically. We can’t imagine acting the way we once did because we’ve been overcome by the Holy Spirit in such a powerful way.
Unfortunately, our “spiritual high” usually lasts a week or two, tops, and we fall right back into the way our lives were before our retreat. Our lives don’t look like they’ve been effected by our retreat at all. In fact, it’s as if we didn’t even retreat in the first place.
So, then, how do we continue to keep the lessons we’ve learned during our retreat alive when we’re at home?
Here are some effective ways to keep your retreat going at home:
- Take notes during sessions, workshops, and personal devotions.
- Taking notes during your retreat is going to benefit you in the long run. When something stands out to you, write it down. Not only does the act of writing something down help commit it to memory, it becomes accessible when you’ve forgotten what was said. Re-read your notes when you’re home, especially any applications the speaker gave - the more you read what you’ve written, the more likely you will remember it, and be able to input whatever stood out to you into your life.
- Continue any habits you started during your retreat.
- Maybe you got up early every day of your retreat to pray and read the Bible. Maybe the Lord convicted you of a certain behavior and you stopped acting in that way. Whatever it may be, don’t let it fall through the cracks as soon as you get home. Continue to establish those new habits in your everyday life - you won’t have to remind yourself to do something the more you do it, like early-morning devotions. Yes, you will fail from time to time, but don’t let that discourage you! It’s okay if you mess up. Give it to the Lord and move forward.
- Have an accountability partner.
- An accountability partner is simply a family member or friend who knows what you’re going through/struggling with, and is available for counsel and prayer. They’re going to be the one to check up on you on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis and see where you are in life. Not only that, but they’re there to talk about what lessons God has been teaching you since your retreat. Seek out intentional relationships with like-minded individuals who will encourage you in your walk and are committed to holding you accountable in your walk of faith! Remember to remain teachable, and receive all that the Lord has to say through His Word and through His saints. But most of all, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
Putting these tips into practice will help keep your retreat going at home. The mountaintop experience you had will fade with time, but the lessons the Lord revealed to you will not.
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