Why you should retreat instead of just vacation
Tuscarora
“And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.”
Summer has arrived. At Tuscarora, and everywhere. Kids are out of school, or just about to be, and you might be hoping for a slower pace of life for a little while. However, too often, life speeds up in the summertime instead. There are summer TV shows, family parties, new childcare schedules, and the ever increasing noise of current events and media.
Things are more crowded, noisier, and more stressful than they have ever been before. Ever so slowly, our culture seems to have moved away from slow days, quiet evenings, and special family time – even in the summer months. It’s so removed from our everyday lives that the popularity of planned trips and vacations is greater than ever. Whether it be a family getaway, adventure trips, or exotic resorts everyone feels the need for a break every once in a while.
As rest and relaxation becomes more and more of a limited resource – how should you choose to spend that time?
To answer that question – we should look scripture as we so often do. In Mathew 14, after feeding the 5,000, at his own moment needing rest and recovery Jesus goes away by himself. He goes away to spend time with his Father in prayer. Jesus, who was perfect and knew what to do in the face of exhaustion, turns to His father.
A spiritual retreat, instead of a typical vacation, is a great alternative to receive real rest. Spiritual rest.
When you pull away from the stresses of everyday life with the intent of quieting your heart and mind in the presence of God – God will speak. Like Elijah, who was told to stand on the mountain awaiting the voice of the Lord and did not find it in the powerful wind, the earthquake, or the fire but instead the gentle whisper.
A time of spiritual retreat can look different for everyone. Perhaps you will find God’s voice in a time of biblical reflection, perhaps in the beauty of His creation in a place of natural splendor. Perhaps you need to remove yourself from the things in life that pull you away from spending time in prayer. Maybe the hospitality of those who welcome you or serve you will touch you. Maybe instead, all you need is time away with your family to laugh together and play.
This summer, consider a more intentional type of vacation. One that will leave you in a place of physical, mental, and spiritual refreshment. At Tuscarora – we have a variety of programs available to help you do just that. You may not know how badly you need the peace – but we are happy to provide it.