A Retreat May Help Us Better Fight the Battle   

Our church association schedules a little retreat sometime during the week following Easter Sunday for ministers and their spouses. There is a two-fold reason for the timing of this event. First of all, prior to Easter those couples are often so busy planning and preparing for activities related to this special celebration of Jesus’ resurrection that they are unable to get away. Secondly, after all of the Easter hustle and bustle, they could use a time to step back, take a break, and recharge their batteries.

When we think about a “retreat” in military terms, we often associate it with turning back out of fear of defeat or because of enduring great losses at the hands of the opposition. However, those aren’t the only reasons to withdraw from the battle. It may not be a permanent move or a prelude to surrender. It may simply be a temporary withdrawal in order to regroup, restrategize, or reinforce one’s strength before returning to the fight. Similarly, when we speak of going on a retreat, we’re not talking about quitting the fight or hiding out in fear from our challenges in life. We’re simply taking a step back for a moment in order to refresh our spirit, mind, and body so that we can better engage in the necessary battles.

We all need that at times. Maybe you aren’t able to take a couple of days to go someplace where you can actually physically distance yourself from the pressures of life. It’s wonderful if you can do it – and it may be helpful to plan such little trips occasionally. However, we can seek to find ways to create our own mini-retreats wherever we are, even when we’re still toiling on the battlefront.

The Bible reveals to us that even Jesus needed to make time for such retreats. In Mark’s Gospel, the life and ministry of Jesus is pictured in very busy and active terms. It’s just one event after another, often characterized by the use of the word “immediately”. Nevertheless, in the midst of His active ministry, this is recorded about Jesus: “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35).  Luke provides us with the additional insight that this wasn’t just a one-time occurrence. As great multitudes flocked to Jesus to be taught and healed, it says, “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

Jesus’ example suggests that prayer can be an important part of our experiencing the revitalization we may be seeking. We need to find ways to be able to spend some time in fellowship with our Lord, both through prayer and by spending time in His Word. Quiet reflection in those activities can provide divine guidance, help us to refocus our priorities, and give us renewed strength as we feed on the truths of the Bible. Jesus’ practice also shows us that we might need to make an extra effort in order to find those “retreat moments” each day. We might have to get up a little earlier or put aside some other activity in order to have our time with the Lord. And we may need to learn how to turn our focus toward Him even as we find ourselves stuck in the midst of the battle – to grab moments to whisper a prayer or remind ourselves of one of His promises. Even if we can’t physically withdraw from the crowd, we can momentarily retreat in our mind and heart.

 Don’t run from the battle. However, find time regularly to retreat to the Lord so that you can be refreshed and strengthened to continue the fight.