What is a one-man retreat? A retreat where you spend the entire day with God, and no one else. Like any other retreat except you do it by yourself.
Why I needed it.
Dec 22, 2015 (5:00 ~ 21:00) - I went on a one-man retreat; simply because I needed it. Badly. This semester (this year, really) I went through so much crap to the point it affected my health. I lost about 10 lbs - muscle and fat, faced irregular fatigue, couldn't focus, etc. Of course, I shared it with my parents and respective pastors; and, they've been a tremendous help to me. Don't get me wrong, God's blessings were evidently abundant, but I focused much more on the bad things than the good. Simply put, more discontent than content. I just needed to spend one day with God alone; away from people, noise, community, worries, everything.
How I did it.
I presume sharing what my schedule looks like would be more generic and clear.
4:30AM - Wake up and take shower.
5:00 - Quiet time reading Genesis and Ezekiel.
5:45 - Breakfast and pack
6:30 - Leave for Great Falls.
7:30 - Arrive and start trail. As I hike, think and jot down all of God's blessings. When you reach the end trail read the following passages: Ephesians, Psalm 1, 23, 119, 139, and Revelation 19.
 |
| 4 hours of hiking later. Great Fall's Park, VA. |
 |
| Calm surface, yet the undercurrent is fast and strong - extremely difficult to swim against. |
 |
| Beginning of the trail. |
2:00 - Hot coffee at Peet's Coffee. Read Pilgrim's Progress.
 |
| Peet's Coffee was okay. |
 |
| 4:30PM - Manassas National Battlefield Park, VA |
 |
| Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson |
 |
| Trees in the middle of the open field. Once a bloody field. |
6:30 - Dinner. Pho.
7:30 - Home. Songs of worship and praise - All the Way My Savior Leads Me, The Love of God, Nothing But the Blood of Jesus, All Creatures, and It is Well With My Soul. Final time with the Word and end with thanksgiving prayer.
9:00 End.
What I learned.
Here are 10 lessons I learned during my one-man retreat.
1. Silence and solitude is gold.
Silence is loud. I'm definitely not used to it, but that was my experience. The sound of my heavy breathing and beating heartbeat were the only things I heard during my hike. Yet, I needed that - to be able to hear myself alive without saying a single word; and it was at that moment I realized how unhealthy it was for me to have people around me all the time. I can see why John the Baptist spent significant time in the wilderness by himself (Matt 3:1), and why Christ prayed alone with God (Matt 4:1; Mark 1:35; Matt 14:23; Luke 6:12). At times, getting away from people is a necessity for anyone.
2. I recounted all of God's blessings.
"God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them." - John Piper. The great thing about recounting those moments is that you become more thankful.
3. I saw what I prioritized more.
I was able to review my weaknesses and strengths, hates, likes, and priorities. It's funny how even in my priorities I set God lesser and insignificant. I need to do "this" before I worship God, then I'm able to worship God. I need this "condition" to spend time with God. I need "that" song or that "moment." No, I didn't need those "moments." I needed God in every situation. One of my teachers wisely said, "God is not our priority, He is our everything."
4. My relationship with God became more intentional.
My actions, thoughts and moments, everything, were dedicated for God.
5. I recognized the value and need for community.
Yeah, I can't imagine being alone for a long time. The community need is so strong. The church support, discipline, and wisdom much more necessary. A man of God needs to function with the qualities of the church in his heart and head.
6. Praying became my joy.
Throughout the span of the one-man retreat, I constantly communicated with God. It became a part of me and I learned to savor it, every moment of it.
7. I became hungry for God's Word.
It's weird and funny to say that at the end of the hike I was enthused and excited to read the Word.
8. God became bigger, and the world around me smaller.
Intimacy with God became a spectrum of bigger understanding. Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." To be integrated in wisdom is to see the world in God's perspective. The world is small, broken, and in need. Our world is a tiny precursor to a better world that is to come. Our world is imperfect, fleeting, and unfulfilling. However, God is our everything in power, hope, and peace.
9. I can't do anything without Christ; yet, I can do everything with Christ.
I spent so much time being discontent because of my inabilities. Nevertheless, through tender gentleness, God revealed to me all the gifts and talents that I possessed (Isa 40:29) and He humbled me to recognize that in imperfectness I become perfect knowing the need and dependency on Christ and on Him alone - not through my power, gifts, talents, knowledge, wisdom, or understanding. But all, complete, and absolute dependency on Christ in which through Him "I can do all things." (Phil 4:11-13)
10. I love God more.
It's natural. Spending time with God will help you fall in love with Him more. To set aside one entire day dedicated to know God, I couldn't help myself but sincerely love and desire Him exponentially.