Avoid the Summer Trap
There always seems to be concerns that I get around this time of year. It is the fear of laziness, complacency and inconsistency. I pray against it for me and for you. It is real easy to get busy with many things to fill the time this Summer. It is also easy to get in lulls. As a result priorities and disciplines can shift and change often for the worse. Bible Study, community, corporate worship and giving tend to drop for other things. I pray that your disciplines would increase instead of falling into the Summer trap.
First, we need a study diet of God’s Word this Summer. If you are not currently on a Scripture reading plan take the beginning of Summer as an opportunity to hit the refresh button and start anew. Be intentional and put a plan together with what you are going to read. Our problem is that we aim at nothing and we hit it every time. Have a plan and put it into action. May we be able to testify as the Psalmist does, Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You (Psalm 119.11).
Next, we need community with other believers. I know some will be on vacation and it will be challenging at times to get together often this Summer, but I want to encourage you to fight for community. Make some changes to when you meet for LIFEgroup if need be. Be flexible and place community with others as a high priority. We need each other. Solomon says, A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart (Ecclesiastes 4.12). We need the Summer strands of community.
We also need corporate worship this Summer. The discipline of praise is so important to the constant life of worship of Christ that we are called to. Corporate worship encourages each other in our praise and in our walk with the Lord. The writer of Hebrews says, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10.25). We need the habit of assembling together this Summer.
Lastly, we need the discipline of giving to continue through the Summer months. I don’t know about you, but when I am not giving selfishness, greed and lack of concern for others creeps in. Giving keeps me other focus. I want to encourage you this Summer to stay faithful in the area of giving. When it specifically comes to financial giving during the Summer things tend to drop off while expenses for ministry rises. I pray that we would be consistent and even more abounding in the discipline of giving this Summer. The Lord says, Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this (Malachi 3.10). I pray we would test the Lord this Summer in the area of giving.
I pray the Lord would bless you and keep you this Summer!
