We have all gone on a retreat and encountered Christ in an inspiring way, but the struggle is maintaining finding the amazing experiences in everyday life. On retreat you are surrounded by so many wonderful young people who love Jesus just as much as you do, and their witness to the Lord helps you to encounter Christ through other people, adoration, small groups, etc.. But then you leave retreat and step back into reality. I hope that this list of ten suggestions can help you find ways to encounter Christ in your everyday life.
1. Surround yourself with your retreat peeps
These are the people that love Jesus just as much as you do, and these are the people that are going to hold you accountable in your faith life. These are also the people that have encountered Christ on retreat along side you. Find time to spend with these people so that you can surround yourself with Christ-filled people. Going to get coffee or ice cream with them will automatically put you in a better mood.
2. Attend daily mass with your friends
The place in which we are going to encounter Christ, body, soul and divinity, is in the celebration of the Mass. By attending daily mass you can continually encounter Christ, and by going with your friends you build strong relationships that are centered around Christ. I encourage you to attend mass with the people who build you up the most. And it's always fun to go grab some breakfast at a local bagel shop, too!
3. Focus on your blessings
Too often it is too easy to focus on the hardships of life, but one way to discover God's abundant love in your life is to focus on all the ways he has blessed you. First of all, it is a good way to recognize the love that He has for you, and secondly, it will make you a generally happy person. On retreat, you probably encountered God's love in many ways, and now you can continue that in your everyday life. Even if you have had an awful day, I'm sure you are able to find at least one blessing. I challenge you to do it.
4. Develop a frequent prayer life
Even if it's for five minutes, pray. The Lord is always there to listen and He wants to have a relationship with you. Praying everyday will help you maintain that constant connection with Christ. It will also help you grow in faith. I personally have found my faith and trust in God deepening as my prayer life goes deeper. He is always there waiting to listen.
5. Attend reconciliation frequently
Just as attending mass is important to fostering your relationship with God, so is attending confession frequently. It allows you to encounter God's infinite mercy. We are constantly sinning because we are human, but God loves us so infinitely that He is always there willing to welcome us home with open arms. Through reconciliation we are going to be able to draw closer to Christ and encounter His love.
6. Share your retreat experience with others
Your encounter with Christ may be the witness that somebody else needs to take the next step in their faith. You can be an inspiration for others. It's also important to share with those who love and care about you because they care about you and want to know how you are encountering Christ in your life. Don't be afraid to share. It is a good thing. Sharing is caring.
7. Keep a journal
Write down everything. Write what you have experienced, where you hope to go in your faith life, the ways you encounter Christ, the ways you need help, and anything else that may be on your heart. Sometimes it is hard to figure out what you want to bring to the Lord, so by writing you are forced to focus. You are forced to think about what is on your heart and what you want to bring to the Lord. This will help you keep a prayer life, and keep it consistent.
8. Make a personal commitment
At the end of the retreat make a personal commitment to change something in your life to better yourself, and bring that commitment to the Lord. Leave it in His hands and ask him for guidance. Make sure to write it somewhere that you can continually remind yourself of what you wanted to change. It may be surrendering something to the Lord that you have been holding on to, or it may be making a promise to pray more often. Whatever it may be, keep your head up and try your best.
9. Look to the saints for inspiration
The saints are people just like you and me. They have lived through all of the trials and tribulations of this earth and they found a way to love Christ. Find one (or more) that touches your heart and study their ways. Let their life be an example to you. If you don't have a specific one in mind or don't know who to turn to, study several until you find one that touches you. Their lives can teach us how to live more like Christ.
10. Do not get discouraged
You will fall. You will sin. We are human and we fall and sin, but Jesus still loves us. He is still there to take our hand and pull us up to his warm embrace. All we have to do is run to him. So when you fall, do not become discouraged. Lift your head and arise. Go to the Lord and let him love you. Recommit yourself to the change you want to make, and start again. It will all be OK. Just keep pushing on.
