Unchained Melodye

In business and education, statistics show that people experience a lull in productivity and/or learning during the summer months due to various reasons. Truthfully, I’ve also discovered for myself that, if I’m not watchful, I will experience a spiritual slump in summer. I feel like I blog about this every summer around this time in June when I start to recognize my tendency toward the slump. Longer days (more daylight) bring later dinners, later bedtimes, and as a result, later and slower morning activity. Days and evenings are spent in different activities that make it difficult to maintain a schedule or routine. We rarely have nightly specific plans, though we intentionally make time for family fun … cookouts, campfires, tents, Sonic runs, movie and game nights.

I’ve recently been reminded  how easily it is to become “summerly” distracted. I don’t consider myself an EDP (easily distracted person), but when it comes to being intentional about bible study and prayer during the summer break, I too often allow the late nights, slow mornings and casual days to draw me away from the necessary. I remember that when Jesus spoke to Mary, He said that only one thing is NEEDED. And she was wise to choose it. The thing is, I can’t really use the excuse that I’m so busy being a “Martha” that I don’t have time to sit at the feet of Jesus. I’m not really that busy serving, I’m actually doing a lot of nothing. At the end of the day, I rehearse my day only to realize that there was a great deal of either mindless wandering around the house or too much thinking, but with little prayerful moments.

And yet, it’s not about being weighed down with a burden. I really don’t want to get caught up in the hype of empty promises filled with sentences like … this summer is going to be different … or I’m going to make this summer count.
For me, this is hardly about a summer spiritual slump. It’s about a lack of focus on Who Jesus is and what that means for me, every day of my life. It’s not just about intentionally making time to study His word and pray – although I do believe I should! This is about using all my moments to think about Him, to see Him, and to worship Him, in whatever I’m doing.
So, as I sit by the campfire or the pool, walk down the city streets, play games or drink slushes … it’s all about giving God the glory. It’s about recognizing Him in the quiet moments on the porch with a cool breeze, or the loud and hectic moments of a very full dinner table.

Summer doesn’t have to cause a spiritual slump in my life. But it also doesn’t have to be a time to fret about our unscheduled days or regret spending time relaxing on a beach. Oh Lord, take my life – my whole life – and let it be consecrated to You. Take my moments and my days – every season –  
… let them flow in ceaseless praise.