Do You Need to Withdraw as You Advance? – The Power of Retreat
“Go away for a retreat? I couldn’t. There is so much to do. We are growing fast. Many new believers call every day. I’m rapidly training leaders and never finish my work before falling into bed at night exhausted.” Busy leaders often fail to recognize their critical need to take retreats.
The busier you are and the more your ministry grows, the more important it is to regularly withdraw to reconnect with both God and yourself. Times of withdrawal vary. From pauses in your day, to taking a few days off for spiritual retreat, to full sabbaticals, each has value. These rhythms are vital for healthy leadership, especially in seasons of growth.
Creating Space to Listen
Almost every week, I listen to a podcast called Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership with Ruth Haley Barton. The host, Steve Weans recently said, “Creating space to hear from God is the most important thing you can do for the health of your life and ministry.” Do you agree? Really? The most important thing?
The weight of ministry is heavy on Kingdom leaders. As Carey Nieuwhof writes, “You feel it because you are the leader, and you’re likely the leader because you’re the kind of person who feels it.”
This is certainly true in my life. I can feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of the spiritual leadership I carry. When I feel that way, it’s a red flag waving in the air. It’s saying, “Anderson, you need to withdraw into Jesus for a bit!” If I listen to that signal, not only am I better off, but so are the many I have the privilege of leading.
We withdraw not because we have time for a break. Taking time off isn’t laziness, it is wisdom. That doesn’t make it easy to practice. I’ve had many internal arguments with myself about this. “Take a break. Set aside some time for retreat,” my wise inner voice will tell me.
“I can’t do that now. If I take time off, this and that will not be done and things will fall apart. People are counting on me!” says my other inner voice – shall we call her my Martha voice perhaps?
Most of the times, wisdom wins the argument. Not always!
Do those different inner voices argue within your head? When you consider taking time away to rest and listen to God?
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 5:16 NIV.
3 Kinds of Retreats Busy Leaders Need
- Mini-retreats throughout the day.
It is very helpful to take mini-retreats throughout your work or ministry day. In some circles, they call this the practice of silence or abandonment. We pause and still our soul before the Lord. We withdraw for a few moments, (even 2 to 10 minutes can make a very big difference) of stillness. Quieting our hearts, and slowing our breathing, we rest our souls. We retreat into God. Meditation on His goodness and personal love for us refreshes.
I’ve been blessed by doing this a few times each day in busy seasons. I stop and simply breathe in and out a few times, repeating the phrase “I am loved. God is with me.” My soul finds rest in Him.
- One or two day retreats to rest and listen.
It has been my regular practice to pull away every quarter for at least one night and two days to simply stop working and listen to His voice.
This may not seem practical. Maybe you don’t have the money for this. Ask God to show you how to do it. Jesus went out into the wilderness to be away with His Father. He didn’t spend any money to do that.
Is there a camping area? Or a park of some sort, where you could spend a few days resting in Him?
I’ve also been blessed to make use of the many Catholic retreat centers around the world. They are usually quite inexpensive and simple, but good places to go away for prayer and rest.
If you carry significant spiritual leadership, I recommend at least two retreats a year. You will not only avoid burnout, but you will also be able to lead with a greater anointing and clearer direction from God.
As you do this, remember, the purpose of a retreat is not to constantly pray and petition God. Many times on a retreat, the first thing I do is sleep a few hours. We rest and withdraw. It can take a full day for me to disconnect and stop thinking about all I have to do. Be sure on these retreats to take time to be quiet. Listen to the Father’s still small voice. He will wait to speak, until we are silent before Him.
- Longer retreats and sabbaticals.
In my thirty years of missionary life, I’ve taken several longer sabbatical breaks. They’ve been so valuable! A longer time of disconnecting from the weight and pressure of ministry can be extremely helpful. It is a worthy investment of time that pays off in your ministry in the years that follow.
When was the last time you took a break to withdraw so you could advance?
If you answer is never, make a plan today. It may be for only a mini-retreat, but start today to take time to pull back so you can go forward. This weekend I am heading out for a time of rest. I’m excited to meet with God and be refreshed in my soul and spirit. I sincerely hope you are able to get some time away soon too.
Let me know in the comments below what your plans are! Or post them on the Missionary Life Facebook group and we can compare notes.