Seek Solitude and Once a Year Go on Retreat with God

In solitude, we dwell within the individual and personal love God has for us. No one can do this for us. We alone must seek solitude to be present with God without others. Once a year, we should try to go on retreat with God.

We must be intentional about seeking solitude. Let us discover times and places that can become rhythms of solitude. Our faith is both communal and individual. We need others to help us, teach us, love us, and pray for us. The family of God is beautiful and expansive. Yet, we also need time alone in the presence of God.

During His years of ministry, Jesus would take time away. He would step back from His work, and find rest. Sometimes, these retreats were alone. Other times, these retreats included others. We should go on retreat at least once a year. Let us try to take retreats that give us extended time for solitude and silence. The most beautifully restful thing we can do on retreat is to be still and quiet before God.

A monastic life is a life with community, and it is a life with solitude. It is a life that turns us away from the world to wander alone into divine presence. Presence is the hope for which we set aside all other expectations. There is no one way to seek solitude. It may be a quiet morning before the city awakens. It may be shutting the world out to turn inward on the metro. It may be sacred moments alone, washing dishes by hand. It may be taking a walk alone with God. We commit ourselves to seek, discover, and build solitude into our lives.

Going on retreat is a natural extension of the solitude we seek daily. It is an act of faith, hope, and love to go on retreat. The same God that meets us in solitude within the city will meet us on retreat. These retreats are times to take rest with the greatest love of our life – our God. Let us disconnect from our work to focus on our first vocation, prayer. Seek out places for retreat with access to nature. Take a retreat alone or go with a group of people. We prioritize going on retreat because our love for God requires special care and attention.

There are many benefits to stepping away from the rhythms of our lives. Yet, we should not neglect our lives to go on retreat. Over the course of our years there will be times when it is easy to get away, and times when we cannot. It is our hope and expectation that we are able to go on retreat each year. This expectation is grounded in grace. There may be years when it is not realistic, possible, or wise. If, and when, you find yourself here, do your best to take a day, or half a day, locally to disconnect alone in prayer. Pray that during your time our God would sustain you, be tender with you, and meet you as you wander into God’s divine presence. In every way and every day our loving God awaits us.

• Reflect on where in your life you seek solitude. What does seeking solitude look like?
• Meditate on what daily things could become moments of solitude.
• Solitude invites us to defer distractions. How can you protect your sacred moments of solitude?
• Contemplate the ways God is inviting you to weave solitude into your days and ways.
• Reflect on how you have seen the regularity of solitude reduce the expectations and pressures for your time with God.
• Meditate on what things help you to seek solitude and to rest in your times of solitude.
• Celebrate that our God longs to be present with us when we are alone.
• Reflect on how rhythms of solitude flow into other parts of your life.
• Grieve the times you find solitude or retreat and are not refreshed or do not sense God’s presence.
• Praise God for the ways that He is ever present with you and patiently waits for you to enjoy His presence.
• When and where can you take your next retreat?
• Meditate on the kind of refreshing you need with God during your next retreat.
• Reflect on the retreats you have taken with God and appreciate the gift they have been.