If we want to be like Jesus, we must practice hearing God's voice instead of doing all the talking.
As Christians, our spiritual growth is important to have a vibrant relationship with God. However, we get into a rut and continue to do the same practices over and over until it means nothing to us. To spice up my spiritual life, I recently participated in a silent retreat. This was held at a conference center about an hour and a half from my home. My intention was simply to be still before God and, in the silence, allow God to speak to me. I came away from the retreat much more relaxed and can already make a difference for the Kingdom.
Although a silent retreat may not be feasible or affordable for everyone, it is important to change our habits so we don't fall prey to boredom in our spiritual lives. Whether you can afford to go away or set up one in your home, a similar retreat can be a great way to increase your intimacy with God. Jesus went to lonely places to pray. If we want to be like Jesus, we must practice hearing God's voice instead of doing all the talking.
Here are five tips on how to create a silent retreat in your home:
Find a Room
Designate a room in your home where you can go and pray. Your home may be subject to a lot of chaos throughout the day. Find a place where you can be quiet. Place candles around the area where you can have a quiet, relaxing atmosphere. Tell your significant other, children, and anyone else who lives in the home you are requesting peace for the next twenty-four hours. You don't need to stay there for the full twenty-four hours, but visit there often enough that you can get some focused time to pray.
Bring a Journal
Bring a journal. When the Lord starts to speak, he may have a lot to say. Have a piece of paper and pen or journal near you so that you can write down what you hear. If you are confused as to whether it's from the Lord or from you, ask a trusted person in your church to help you discern what God is saying. It is an exciting experience to hear the Lord speak. Track down whatever thoughts come to your mind. If there are any in agreement with Scripture, more than likely, they are from God. Meditate on what you've heard, asking the Lord to show you when and where these words will be fulfilled. Sometimes the words are for you, and other times they're for someone else. Discern which is which, and God will be able to use you to comfort and exhort others.
If you hesitate to be alone, organize a group of people from your church to do this silent retreat with you. You can even designate a day at your church to do this. Encourage church members to participate with you. You may need a couple of classrooms. There are other areas of the church, including the sanctuary, to pray and be silent before the Lord. Reconvene and tell each other what was said. If there are any parallels, more than likely, it is the Lord who's speaking to you. Not only is this beneficial for you to achieve an intimate relationship with God, but it’s also good for the community as you devote your time to praying and listening to God. This way, we're all growing and learning together.
Listen
Vary your time between listening for and speaking to God. Often, we come with our laundry list of things to pray about. While it's important, God wants our hearts. If it helps, start the time off with prayer so that you can get the things you want to talk to Lord about off your mind. Then be silent and let God speak. God may have many things to talk with you about. He may reinforce his love for you, convict you of a particular sin, or reveal to you something about the future. Do your best to open your heart and mind to what God is saying. He may be reinforcing something in your spirit that you wanted confirmation on, or it could be a brand new chapter in your life.
Don't be too concerned with what God has to say to you. Sometimes he will use that time to speak, and other times, he wants your fellowship. Don't get discouraged if you don't hear anything from God. Even in his silence, he is speaking.
Treasure This Time with God
Fourth, treasure the time you have with God. It is a privilege to be able to set aside time to hear from God. Don't filter any words from him. God speaks through a myriad of ways: the Bible, other people, a sense or a “gut feeling,” dreams and visions, etc. The more you understand how God speaks, the more likely you're going to recognize his voice. Be obedient to what you hear. Plan to implement what he said to you. Sometimes, the words God gives us come true instantly, and other times they can take years to take effect. Don't believe that because what you heard God say did not come true immediately that doesn’t mean it wasn't true at all. God chooses when he makes his plans known to us. Leave it in his hands to allow that work to be completed. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Respond to God's Conversation with You
Act on what you've heard. A great way to increase your faith is to take a risk and act upon what you've heard. Maybe it’s a prophetic word to someone, an act of service, or repentance from a sin, just to name a few. Ask God who the words are for. Sometimes the words are for you, and sometimes they are for other people. The fact that you took a step of obedience honors God and gives him the glory. The more you practice responding to God's conversation and stepping out in faith, the more God will speak to you and use you. Having said this, there can be times when mistakes are made. Apologize where needed, and relish in the fact you still were obedient. God honors all our acts of service to him, whether we were one hundred percent right or not. It is not about being right; it's about doing the work of God's will.
Retreats are important to get away from the daily hustle and bustle of life and take time to hear from God. The silent retreat requires you to sacrifice a certain amount of your time to be with him. God honors us when we take our time to be with him. Even if you cannot just make a day of silence, do what you can. Start off with half an afternoon or in the morning for a couple of hours. The more you practice this forgotten art, the better your spiritual life will be.
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