Spiritual Detox...3 days with God.

Last week, I was on a call with a friend. As he was checking in on me, he asked how I was doing. He’s the kind of friend who doesn’t accept ‘good’ as an answer, so I went on venting about how I’d been feeling—a response that had become my anthem for the past two weeks: ‘I am off.’

Curious, he asked what I meant. I explained that it felt like my life had been switched off, as if I were relying on a flickering candle to navigate my days. I was spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally drained. It wasn’t exhaustion from work; rather, my spiritual world felt shut, and the weight of life was pressing down on me, affecting everything else. I was scattered, easily distracted, and unsure of where I was headed.

I have to admit, even as a Christian, things still get tough—after all, am I not human? Sometimes, I stumble, and this time, I had fallen. My friend then asked if prayer wasn’t helping. To him, it seemed like prayer was a magic button that, when pressed, instantly made everything right. I explained that prayer doesn’t always yield immediate results; sometimes, it simply grants peace while God works behind the scenes. It steadies you, keeping you from losing your mind as He orchestrates your breakthrough.

But was I praying and reading the Bible as I should? No. My prayers had become casual, filled with excuses—telling God I was too tired, that I didn’t feel like praying.

In my heart, I knew I needed a reset. I thought about going somewhere far, somewhere quiet, to spend time with God and clear my racing mind. So, I booked a cozy room at Muhazi for three days, expecting a long weekend due to the public holiday. But something felt off. I had no peace about it—the likes of umuganda and uncertainty of that day off, the unease surrounding my decision. Something wasn’t right. Two days before the trip, I canceled the booking and embraced another plan, one I had initially dismissed but couldn’t shake off.

That plan was a three-day retreat solely dedicated to prayer.

I belong to a community that I deeply cherish, one that draws me closer to God every day—Soul Gardening Ministries. Within its ladies’ ministry, Hephzibah, we had planned a retreat in Bugesera to spend quality time with God. Without a second thought, I secured my spot and left.

See, God has His own ways of guiding us to the answers we seek, of leading us to the missing pieces of our puzzle. I left on Friday night and decided to switch off my phone—I just needed to disconnect from the world for a while.

The place was serene. For three days, all we did was pray. We prayed and prayed—nothing else. I, who had probably never prayed for more than thirty minutes, found myself lost in prayer. It was the sweetest experience, the closest I had ever been to God, the most peaceful I had ever felt. I used to think long prayers would be tiresome, but that retreat proved me wrong.

I experienced things I can hardly put into words. I heard God speak. I heard evil spirits speak, too. It was terrifying yet eye-opening. I saw things I had only heard about in testimonies. There’s so much happening in the spiritual realm that we often dismiss as mere coincidences or life’s natural course. But trust me, there’s more beyond what our eyes can see or what our flesh can perceive.

I know some people might not understand, just as I didn’t before encountering Jesus. But I pray that you come to know Him. That’s all I can do—pray for you. Because you need Him. You need to pray, regardless of whether you fully comprehend it. Stop trying to make everything fit into your logic—it doesn’t work that way. Spiritual things cannot be understood through the flesh. No. Prayer and a personal relationship with God are the only things that bring clarity, revealing the unseen. Everything else in life can fade in an instant, but in Jesus, there is abundant life—joy in chaos, peace that surpasses understanding.

And what does He ask of us? Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Seek God, and you will lack nothing.

I brought my spiritual weakness before God. I asked Him to recharge me, and He did. He spoke to me, comforted me, an­­d revived me. He reminded me that I am a daughter of the Most High, that no matter the circumstance, I can run to Him freely because He knows my struggles even before I cry out for help. He simply wants to know if I trust Him enough with my life—just as it is.

Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

I called upon the Lord, and He answered. I am grateful that I said yes to the invitation. That was exactly where I needed to be. My prayers were answered, and my life was set back on track.