I’m done teaching my Bible study for this year, and so I’m writing this article for my own sake as much as yours.
It’s a lot easier for me to stay close to the Lord when I have to teach his Word each week. I usually spend a lot of time studying and preparing lessons as well as praying for the wisdom to teach them. Then summer rolls around and I spend less time relying on God and more time enjoying my coffee.
I want to do a better job enjoying both!
Now, I’m all for a summer break. We need some downtime once in a while. I will start to write next year’s Bible study in a couple of weeks and that will help. But, there are a few things that I try to do, especially in these summer months, to keep my soul inspired and God’s direction front and center each day. I thought I’d share those ideas with all of you.
These are my ideas, but I would love to hear some of yours. Use the comment section or our Facebook link to share your thoughts.
1. Rise early.
“Joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
The summer days are longer, but they will also get hot (especially in Texas). I like to have my first cup of coffee early, while I read The Daily Article, my husband’s morning essay, and the First15 devotional, written by my son.
Most of you probably get these already, but if you don’t, you should! Spending your time with these words about God will often inspire a word from God.
How do you take that word into your soul?
Put on comfortable shoes and start walking. Consider what God has spoken to you, and, chances are, God will speak words through you that day.
We all need to consume God’s thoughts if we want to have a well-fed soul.
2. Go to bed early.
“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:2).
This is an obscure verse of Scripture, but it shouldn’t be!
Have you ever stopped to consider why we were created to need sleep?
God didn’t have to create us with that need, but he did. A ton of studies discuss the importance of sleep to our physical bodies, but have you ever thought about the benefits of sleep to our souls?
God can speak to us as we dream. Have you asked him to?
A good night’s sleep is healing to every aspect of our lives. We weren’t meant to work and toil all day. God wants us to rest, and to rest in him.
Give God your dreams, and, each morning, as you are thinking about what you have dreamed, ask God what he might be speaking to your soul.
3. Spend time on your friendships.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and not another to lift him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10).
There are so many people in this world I would love to know better. I wish I knew all of you, for example!
But there are only twenty-four hours to a day, and there are a lot more acquaintances in our lives than there are friends.
Heed King Solomon’s words: don’t just spend time with friends; spend some time on your friends.
Our friends should not just be good company. They should be people who strengthen our walk with the Lord and bless our souls—and we should be that kind of friend to them as well.
4. Experience God in an ancient, new way.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23).
These are familiar and favorite verses. God’s people have been sharing God’s wisdom for centuries. Add something to your spiritual journey that is ancient wisdom but new to you.
There are books of Christian quotes, websites with old sermons, and Christian novels written decades ago. There is something particularly refreshing to our souls to read words that God inspired in the past that are still his truth today.
God is timeless and timely. If he inspired truth one hundred years ago, it is still truth today.
5. Take time to enjoy God’s warmth.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
I have to admit, I love the warmth of summer. I love warm weather, flowers, vacations, swimming, and long, lazy walks on a beach. I love the sun on my toes and a great novel in my hands. I love long days and a slower work schedule.
And I love that I have time to just love the One who provides it all.
Fall will arrive, if Jesus doesn’t. I would love for all of us to look back on these summer months with gratitude for the time we spent just enjoying our God. He would enjoy our enjoyment. Our souls were made to find joy in our Father.
Your soul was created to enjoy its Creator. And he wants to spend these summer days with you, joyfully present in your life.
Strengthen Your Summer Soul
Those are my tips, and you can go to my website or Facebook page to share yours.
The summer months will come and go. Don’t you want to use them to strengthen your soul?
If you are like me, then some weeks will probably be better than others—but I’d like to have more of those great weeks. God gave us the season we call summer. He had to have a perfect reason! Let’s plan to enjoy the days ahead because we trust that God has a plan to strengthen our souls with his joy.