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Even persons whom we would consider deeply spiritual men and women are subject to spirit fatigue. These persons have a more intense relationship of intimacy, even to union, with persons and life, generally. They, likely, or as open, or more so, to spirit fatigue than the general population or the less devout, or less spiritually intense, Christian.
To do the work Jesus did, he needed adequate supply of spiritual reserve to draw upon. For people would draw off his energy supply continually. Without habitual retreat from other persons, Jesus knew he could not maintain the demands persons placed on his vitality reserve.
Now, back to our opening query. Would Jesus turn away from helping persons? Yes, in that Jesus would retreat often to be alone in prayer, meditation, and listening to His Father. No, in that prayer is an essential part of our serving other persons. And, this does not mean getting away to pray for all those we serve. We need habitual retreat, leaving those we serve behind in body and mind, simply to enjoy the gift of communion with the One we are intimate with as our Love.
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Guidelines on Habitual Retreat
1) Have a retreat daily. Choose a quiet place to be alone. Get away from the phone or disengage it. Have at least one thirty minute prayer and spiritual reading time, preferably in the morning, though another time will serve best for many persons.
2) Have a more extended time alone for prayer, spiritual reading, and holy listening once weekly. This could be a morning, or two to three hours. You can choose the daily place for your quiet time, or you might choose a sanctuary or a place in nature.
3) Take at least one full day off, or two days in a row, monthly for retreat. Again, choose your home or another place. I recommend this retreat be at a location away from your home and work.
4) Take a yearly retreat of a week or more. Let this be, preferably, at a marked distance from your home and work, and let it be a beautiful place to enjoy elements of nature that you are not privileged to usually. The beach or the mountains are two ideal sites for spiritual retreat, as well as procuring a room at a prayer retreat site.
5) Remember, retreat is not a vacation fun time~this is time for solitude, prayer, spiritual reading, rest, ...
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