ChristianWeek

Summer is a time for holidays and conferences and a host of other non-routine activities that can shake us from our doldrums and stimulate personal and spiritual progress. Taking time for out-of-the-ordinary experiences spurs many a pilgrim’s progress. The daily grind can be a turn-off and even church routines become a bore.

In fact, most of us need a dose of the extraordinary from time to time to encourage Christian growth. While the ability to discern God’s activity in the midst of the mundane is a mark of a mature Christian believer, conferences, concerts, retreats, seminars or other special occasions often have a momentous impact on a person’s spiritual development. Indeed, special events nurture Christian growth for at least three reasons.

Determine direction. Decisions made at critical junctures establish the direction of a person’s life. Too many people fail to recognize the pivotal moments and simply drift through the circumstances of their lives with little intention or foresight. A retreat or special event at the right time will help people set their sails with a clear sense of purpose. Special events can provide an occasion for profound self-examination and the impetus for action.

Instill conviction. Progress in the Christian life requires a firm foundation of basic belief. The ability to hold fast to Christian truth is strengthened in special moments when God’s ways appear to be obvious, which often occurs at a special event. Spiritual confidence can grow in the quiet stillness of a prayerful retreat, or in the midst of a multitude lifting rousing praise. Such events enable believers to see themselves as part of a great throng of witnesses through the ages, to know that they are not alone.

Equip for adversity. Powerful events create lasting memories. Lessons learned at spiritual highpoints will doubtless be tested in ordinary experience. When hard times arrive—and they will—the memory of God’s direct action in the past provides hope for the present.

A word of caution, however, is necessary. The enthusiasm and wisdom special events generate are pointless if they are not put to work in the world of the ordinary. Mountaintop experiences can be exhilarating, but they do not exempt the traveler from the rough places. The view from the mountain is a but a glimpse of the pathway ahead, a vantage that offers a peek into the dark valleys below and opens the vista of new horizons beyond.

—Doug Koop