How to Think About Summer
Like a child staring out the classroom window on a mid-May sunshine day, we count down the days. We harden off our seedlings, map out summer holidays, plan childcare, and switch out wardrobes. Even as adults, though we may not get a summer break from work, there is a relaxed feeling that often accompanies summer. Maybe there are fewer routines, less lunch-packing, a break in weekly church ministries, and frequent anticipated fun activities.
Yet some of us tend to use summer as a gauge for our performances. It’s too easy for that voice in our heads to say, Remember all the ways you’ve failed so far this year? All those New Year’s resolutions? What happened to those? We sit in self-pity, neglecting the longed-for golden summer days and long evening walks.
So as I enter summer, I pray for focus and intentionality in how I spend my time. I must replace the self-loathing with gratitude for this present moment. Time is valuable and precious, and I am highly aware that I don’t want to waste it by fretting about the past.
Mindfulness Helps
Mindfulness is an exercise I use daily in my counseling practice and my own life. Simply put, when we are mindful, we pay attention to the present moment. We “stop and smell the roses.” We look at the blue skies, we feel the raindrops on our skin, and we savor each bite of those homemade scones. Mindfulness involves immersion into our God-given five senses to focus on the “here and now” so that we don’t lose ourselves in regrets of the past or worries of the future.
“Consider Psalm 118:24 as we’re reminded that “this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Give attention to this very day, in which we live and breathe. ”
I think of Matthew 6:25–34, where Jesus teaches not to worry about the past or future, but rather to pay attention to what’s going on right now. We can consider how God has provided for the needs of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. God will take care of our present needs, so let’s pay attention to “right now.” Or consider Psalm 118:24 as we’re reminded that “this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Give attention to this very day, in which we live and breathe.
Mindfulness calls us to acknowledge our emotions and our thoughts so we can then move forward by reorienting ourselves to the present moment. We ask, “What is relevant right now?” Focus on that—not the worst-case scenarios or regrettable past decisions and failures.
Maybe we lament how the year has turned out, or maybe there’s nothing to look forward to. Didn’t make it to the gym 3 times a week? Failed to start that family game night? Haven’t kicked the screen addiction? We can’t change what’s been, and we don’t have control over the future. We have right here, right now, today. So instead of feeling bad about the resolutions we didn’t keep or the goals we failed to meet, let’s use this halfway point in our year to figure out what works better for us.
Evaluating What Came Before and What Lies Ahead
We can do a scan of our lives in the last six months and ask: What broke me? What built me? What was idealistic versus realistic in my goals? What can or needs to change? When was my love rightly ordered and when was it disordered? What do I want for the next six months? What do I want for today?
When we gently approach these questions and evaluate our answers, we might see a bit more clearly how God would have us move forward through the rest of the year. We pay good attention to what this season of life will allow us to accomplish and focus on. Productivity and goals don’t have to live up to others’ expectations.
Remember, God understands our humanity in all our limits and weaknesses (Phil. 2:6–8). God himself gives us the grace to wade out of the muddy waters of self-pity, regret, and self-loathing. We don’t have to look too far in Scripture to know how God would have us spend our time or what his will for our lives is:
"Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess. 5:13b–18)
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Mic. 6:8)
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:1–2)
As we keep in step with God’s will for our lives, let’s set goals, but let’s also not get caught up in the desperate need to meet all our goals and compromise the joy of living. Each season has so much more to offer than piles of regrets—especially summer.
Run Into Summer
While summer approaches, don’t let feelings of failure in early 2024 drag you down (because it probably went better than what you recall). Summer is wonderful for a hundred reasons. Be mindful and thank God for the blessings in your life presently.
Use your five senses to experience the beautiful refreshments of summer: ice-cold cucumber water on a scorching day, a cross-breeze between windows, stars over an evening campfire. The last six months were good in one way or another, even if they didn’t look how you wished. Imagine the ways this summer can bless you, too. No matter what the first part of the year held, there are beautiful things to observe in this summer season with the people you love. And all those goals you didn’t get to check off? Don’t let them haunt you—write new ones. Or don’t. Either way, challenge yourself and others to run into summer like a kid when that last school bell rings.
RESOURCES ON SPIRITUAL GROWTH
IMPORTANT NOTE
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