4 Healthy Summer Soul Rhythms
Summer is here, and for many of us, this season brings a change in routine and pace. Maybe you’re a parent and your kids just got out of school. Maybe you graduated from college and are starting your first real job. Maybe you are getting married this summer. Or maybe, a chapter in your life is beginning, changing or coming to an end.
Whatever transitions you find yourself facing this summer, there are several rhythms that you can prioritize in your daily routine to help keep you grounded and connected to the source, our heavenly Father. Jesus cultivated healthy rhythms in His life that allowed Him to stay in step with God, even when life was chaotic and constantly changing. Below are four practices we can learn from Jesus that will allow us to stay focused, peaceful and joyful when things around us are crazy!
Seek Solitude - “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
Time away from the distractions of the world is paramount to developing a deep relationship with the Father. I think of Jesus as a people person. In most of the stories I read in the New Testament, Jesus is talking, walking or hanging out with people. Sometimes it seems like Jesus has a never-ending social battery! But even Jesus, the savior of the world, needed time alone with His Father. If He needed it, how much more do we?
So for your first healthy rhythm, pick a time and a place where you can be alone with God. Leave your phone and to-do list behind and talk to your Father in private. I find solitude in the morning before the craziness of my day when I sit in my favorite chair with a cup of coffee. But your schedule may look different, so work hard to cultivate a time and space that works for you!
Enjoy Fellowship - “I have called you friends,” says Jesus. (John 15:15)
While it was important for Jesus to get time alone, we see that He also prioritized spending time with people. In the verse above, Jesus is speaking to his 12 disciples and calling them friends. The definition of a friend is “a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection.”
Jesus created this bond with his disciples by spending time together. He shared meals with them, asked good questions, told stories, and most importantly, He set aside intentional time to focus on His relationship with each one of them.
While summer schedules can get hectic, try to be intentional about spending time with a few people in your life who encourage you in your walk with God. Proverbs 27:9 says, “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” Friendships can fill us up when they are healthy. This summer, take some time to prioritize relationships that are life-giving and pray about any relationships that may be unhealthy and need distance.
Serve Others - “Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Jesus demonstrated a life full of service. He served people who had a close relationship with Him, like His disciples, but He also took time to serve those who didn’t know Him.
For many of us, we serve our spouses, family members, kids and friends every day. Getting outside of our circles and serving those we don’t know can be a little trickier, but this is an important part of our spiritual growth. Summer can be a great time to serve in a new way. Local churches offer countless opportunities to help others, such as watching children during Sunday services, making meals for individuals who are grieving or in need of care, local and international mission trips, food drives and so much more. Find one new way to serve this summer and be amazed at what God does in your heart.
Take in Beauty - “One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)
Beauty is all around us and we were created to enjoy it. Summer is a wonderful time to slow down and notice the beauty in your life. For me, I find beauty in water. Summer provides an opportunity for me to enjoy oceans, lakes and other bodies of water that speak to God’s vastness. Beauty can be found in nature, in people, in literature and so many other places. Take time to embrace this beauty and let it remind you of God’s goodness!
The greatest source of beauty that we could ever take in is in the person of Jesus Himself. In the verse above, David says if He could have one request granted, it would be to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and be with Him forever. David was someone who faced a lot of problems and went through immense hardship, yet this was the one thing he wanted because he knew it was better than anything else.
This summer, the best thing you could do for the health of your soul is to keep looking at Jesus. Don’t let schedules, deadlines, work or even fun take your eyes off the one who holds your life in His hands.
If you need help navigating change in your life, counseling could be a great option for you. Visit www.thebreakingground.com/contact to get connected with one of our amazing counselors today!
