Courtesy of Ryan Rana | The Joshua Center

Pre-Work

Your work done to prepare for the retreat is paramount to its outcome(s). Join with your spouse and or community to develop and crystallize what you need (to hear/know) from God – spend time(s) and directly ask Him (and listen) for what you should be asking while on retreat. Specificity here reveals faith. Faith wins.

The Questions

Write out 3-5 questions you really need to hear from God on. Make sure the questions are specific and tangible expecting an answer in the same way you are asking. For example: Not so much, "What's the meaning of life?" or “What should I do next?” so much as "Do you want me totake the first step toward applying for the job at AT&T?" “Are you telling me to move to Honduras?” “What is blocking me from receiving your peace?” “What things in my heart exactly mesh together and create my sense of what I experience as anxiety?” “What’s my first step toward bringing about fruit in my life/work?” etc....

Retreat Plan

Start off in silence to “break the noise:”

Find and go to a place of complete silence, as removed from contact with others and media as is safely possible. Be in complete silence for a minimum of 2 hours (preferably more of a 12 hour, to as much as a 3 day stretch as part of a solo, silent retreat). During this time you may consider even no Bible and certainly no human contact whatsoever. It is recommended to only have paper and pen, you and God. A period of complete silence with no work on anything should equal about 35-40% of the total time of your overall retreat before you start doing the work.

For many the first section of silence of the retreat feels confusing, unproductive, or even painful. This is normal, push through. It is often reported that it took up to 10 hours of silence to “break through” and find His rhythm(some describe this breaking through experience as like pushing button for previously awaiting voicemail, messages God has sent to you some time ago, but you’ve had trouble receiving). For shorter retreats, just do the best you can with what you have.

After the significant period of initial silence & stillness (equating to roughly half of your total time):

• Ask God to come near and join you in this time.

• Worship period 1 -Take just a couple of minutes before you start for worship in some (any form). This can be spoken, sung, time in scripture or whatever. Just take 2-5 minutes to honor God. Invite God fully into this time.

1) Ask God to show you any/every unconfessed sin or grief (losses/hurts) in your life:

• Take time to listen, be exhaustive.

• Write them out 1 by 1 (may be destroyed later).

• Verbally confess and repent over each one (even if already done previously & God has already forgiven).

2) On your list of answers to question 1, take a moment and pray/reflect on what – needs, hurts, and/or longings - sit just below each sin issue.

• Write out each one.

• Verbally take each one to God and ask for him to join you in those places.

• Offer them to him and ask him to heal you at the core.

3) Ask God to show you any offense/sinful judgment and/or un-forgiveness you may be holding toward anyone in your heart (felt or not):

• Take time to listen, be exhaustive.

• Write them out 1 by 1.

• Verbally speak forgiveness over each item on the list.

• Ask God to help you continue to engage this forgiveness process as needed in the future and to help you forgive from your heart.

4) Ask God to show you what things in your life that your mind (and/or spirit) is trying to control that you are not supposed to (or are “His business”):

• Take time to listen, be exhaustive.

• Write them out 1 by 1.

• Ask Him to gift you faith and to help you release to Him what is outside of what He wants you to invest in (“your circle”).

• Ask God what things He would have you focus on instead – make note(s) here.

5) Identity. How you see Him and you....

• Ask God to reveal to you how you perceive Him (eg. As a friend, as trustworthy, as scary, as a policeman, etc).

• Ask God how he sees you. How he sees both your strengths and weaknesses.

• Ask God to show you how he gifted you, what your Kingdom identity is, and what He most loves about you. Reflect on what might be your primary gift area and what are lower, ministry gifts.

6) Take a significant period of time for deep worship (in your own, best language):

• Do whatever works best for you here, whatever takes you deepest into worship and into His presence.

• Give it all you have here to go to another level in your personal worship with Him.

Either/or (or all depending on time):

• Write 100 ways you've been particularly blessed.

• Sing, play, listen to worship music.

• Read & meditate over favorite Biblical passages.

• Continue to engage in the process that leads you to experience God's presence until you deeply feel His presence and a release from the pressure of your normal life.

Retreat Application

Get pen & paper. Ask God your initial questions again, one by one.

• Take time to listen on each before moving to the next.

• Write out every thought you have on each question, even if it doesn’t make sense, or seem to fit. Don’t spend too much time initially trying to distinguish if it’s “for sure God” or just your thoughts, etc. Just go with everything that comes to mind initially, then come back later and discern through carefully, cautiously and with discernment.

• Upon return to regular life from retreat, wait 24-48 hours. Get your list and answers back out. Pray and discern through each answer with the best sense you can establish of which may be a leading from God (eg. in line with scripture, community, in humility, etc). When you deduce as best as you can, rewrite the answers.

• Then share your experience specifically with 2-3 people or more (spouse in particular, if applicable).

• Write out a structure of specific plans on how you will take action steps and the structure you need to put each answer into play in your life. Consult with others or make a plan to address the weaknesses/least redeemed aspects of your life (question # ).

• Be thankful. Obey. Entrust yourself to and fear the LORD and nothing else.

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