Spiritual Retreat Reflection Paper
James K. Cameron
Crown College When I first read through the syllabus for this class and saw that the assignment for a six to eight-hour spiritual retreat, I felt somewhat overwhelmed and apprehensive. I had never participated in a spiritual retreat of that length on my own (previously together with other staff members), and I honestly was not sure how to even go about the retreat by myself. I spoke with my mentor, Senior Pastor, previously during two mentor meetings, about some different aspects of the upcoming retreat. Some of the crucial points that I would be focusing on with the Lord during the retreat had come up during these sessions. Issues of acceptance, identity, self-worth, and surrender were all areas that I wanted to spend time with the Lord in prayer and in scripture reading. One of my three goals for the STI Reflection Paper assignment had been to prioritize time for spiritual renewal and rest. I realized I must prioritize my time to develop and care for my spiritual well-being. How can I lead others if I am not cultivating my own soul first (Cameron 2017)? My goal was to spend time with the Lord asking for …show more content…
I have often tried to find my worth, acceptance, and identity based upon what I do and how others view me. This has spilled over into my relationship with God. So many times, I feel unworthy and think that I must do something to earn his love and favor. Why do I run from God’s love? Why do I feel unworthy of his love and acceptance? Reading through Boa I came across a powerful quote, “For people who have experienced pain and rejection caused by performance-based acceptance and conditional love...Isn’t there something we must do to merit God’s favor or earn his acceptance? If we are afraid others would reject us if they knew what we are like inside, what of the holy and perfect Lord of all creation (p.
James K. Cameron
Crown College When I first read through the syllabus for this class and saw that the assignment for a six to eight-hour spiritual retreat, I felt somewhat overwhelmed and apprehensive. I had never participated in a spiritual retreat of that length on my own (previously together with other staff members), and I honestly was not sure how to even go about the retreat by myself. I spoke with my mentor, Senior Pastor, previously during two mentor meetings, about some different aspects of the upcoming retreat. Some of the crucial points that I would be focusing on with the Lord during the retreat had come up during these sessions. Issues of acceptance, identity, self-worth, and surrender were all areas that I wanted to spend time with the Lord in prayer and in scripture reading. One of my three goals for the STI Reflection Paper assignment had been to prioritize time for spiritual renewal and rest. I realized I must prioritize my time to develop and care for my spiritual well-being. How can I lead others if I am not cultivating my own soul first (Cameron 2017)? My goal was to spend time with the Lord asking for …show more content…
I have often tried to find my worth, acceptance, and identity based upon what I do and how others view me. This has spilled over into my relationship with God. So many times, I feel unworthy and think that I must do something to earn his love and favor. Why do I run from God’s love? Why do I feel unworthy of his love and acceptance? Reading through Boa I came across a powerful quote, “For people who have experienced pain and rejection caused by performance-based acceptance and conditional love...Isn’t there something we must do to merit God’s favor or earn his acceptance? If we are afraid others would reject us if they knew what we are like inside, what of the holy and perfect Lord of all creation (p.