Retreat, Reflect, Rest
The recent retreat with SIT CF was a timely pause amidst an exciting but admittedly fast-moving student life.
As a student in my final year of university, there is much to worry about; I worry about the things and people being left behind as well as the uncertain road ahead.
Amidst this season of uncertainty and worry, the retreat offered a space to pause, prune, and refocus on what is important. During the unhurried mornings and times for reflection, I noticed my tone of prayer shifting – from urgent pleas for direction to that of having coffee conversation with a friend. There was no agenda to accomplish nor questions to answer; I could simply enjoy being in God’s presence. And just as an unhurried conversation with a dear friend can nourish the soul, I felt nourished by simply spending time in His presence. As I rested in His presence, the urgency to find direction and answers slowly faded, and my attention was drawn instead to the faithfulness and goodness of God’s character and the joy of being with Him.
Some part of me still wishes that I could have come out of the retreat with a clearer picture of what life would look like after university: a master plan or a roadmap that would give me direction down to the smallest detail. Instead, God slowed me down and reminded me to trust Him for just the next step: to have faith in His character, to move with Him one step at a time, and to learn to enjoy the process of trusting Him on this journey.
As I reflect on my retreat experience, I have come to see that the lessons learnt about enjoying God’s presence in each step can be applied to life in CF too.
Silas is standing first from left
For an SIT CFer, life can move rapidly. Students come and go, and the ministry is often so dynamic in nature that it can sometimes feel scary; one moment you’re having supper with friends, the next moment everyone is graduating or going on internships. Seasons change quickly, and it can be easy to get caught up in the momentum of constantly moving from one event, semester, or leadership transition to the next.
In such a fast-paced environment, making room to pause, reflect, and rest is all the more important for CFers. These help us refocus on what is important in that season. We cannot rely only on the momentum of human-planned calendars, events, or leadership structures. Rather we must keep our eyes focused on Christ and his kingdom.
Perhaps the invitation for us is not always to have the whole roadmap figured out, but to trust Him with the next step. To remain rooted in His character, to enjoy His presence in the midst of our busyness, and to faithfully walk with Him through each season of university life.
— Silas Yeo is a Year 4 Occupational Therapy student in SIT CF.
Editor’s Note: This reflection is part of our September news on the Season of Creation! In a society oriented around productivity, we invite students to consider what it means to care for ourselves as created beings through rest. As we join Christian brothers and sisters around the world in observing the Season of Creation, this month’s feature article reminds us that earthkeeping is part of God’s mission for the church and a reflection of the hope we have.
