Devotion: “Every Summer has a Story.”

“Every summer has a story.” ~Unknown

Dear summer,

I love you.

You have given me weekends at the lake, endless dinners on the grill, pool dates with friends, scattered flip flops everywhere, bonfires, sticky s’mores, and so much more. You have nursed my broken heart more than once through the years with gifts of sunshine and ice cream. Each year, you come back again to help me write another incredible story. Thank you.  

xoxo,

Sarah

P.S. You’re my favorite, but don’t tell the other seasons.

As I look back at past summers, I see a trail of beautiful and bittersweet memories. There have been summers that overflowed with joy and summers filled with deep sadness and pain. The common thread is that every summer was unique and had its own tale to tell.

Just as every natural summer has a story, so does every spiritual summer. We will each walk through the spiritual seasons many times. Autumn is a time of change. Winter is a time of barrenness and preparation. Spring is a time of rebirth. And summer is a time for bearing fruit and embracing the abundant life that surrounds us.

The key to embracing our spiritual summer, no matter what time of year it is in the natural, is to remember to seize the joy of the season. This is a time to feel the heavenly warmth on our face and revel in the beauty that surrounds us. Relax, have fun, celebrate, and abide in gratitude for the blessings that surround. Fall and winter will come, but don’t let thoughts of the unknown rob you of the joy of the moment.

Summer is a season known for cultivating and bearing good fruit. Oh goodness, there is just nothing like a sweet, sun-ripened, summer strawberry. It is like a taste of heaven on earth! Our spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control must also be cultivated and ripened so it can taste even sweeter than the best summer strawberry. There is one sure way to do this, and that is to remember who our spiritual gardener is and to remain in him always.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NIV)

[Tweet “The seasons may change, but our good and loving Father does not.”]Let’s celebrate our summers, both the natural and the spiritual, and embrace every story being written, because God’s hand is in each one.

Lord, thank you for the gift of summer. Thank you for ice cream cones, backyard barbecues, and sun-drenched memories. May we seize each moment of joy and remember that you are the true cultivator of our harvest and author of our stories. Amen.

 Scripture for Reflection

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

 Reach for More

This week’s challenge is to seize the joy of the season. Embrace the summer and all of its goodness. Start each day with a prayer of gratitude to our Father, and then go and enjoy the sunshine! Go to the beach, savor an ice cream cone, run through a sprinkler, tend to your garden–whatever brings you summer joy. If you want to take this challenge even further, see how you can incorporate the fruits of the spirit into your summer activities. Maybe share the joy and invite friends over for the afternoon. Practice patience with your children as they call your name for the millionth time. Exhibit self-control when you are offered your tenth s’more. Offer peace when there is fighting over the last slice of watermelon. Show yourself an extra dose of kindness to yourself when you slip on your bathing suit after eating those nine s’mores, knowing priceless memories are being made.

Dear friends, we can do this. Be courageous, and let’s be brave enough to defend our joy with an ice cream cone in one hand and God’s Word in the other!

Please, come back and leave a comment telling us about how God spoke to you this week, or share your progress on social media using the hashtag #tgtreachformore. We would love to hear from you.

Sarah Lundgren has a passion for all things sparkly, loves God with her whole heart, and is known to love Starbucks chai lattes a whole lot, too. Sarah is currently snuggled in the heart of Grand Rapids, Michigan with her sweet hubby, J, and her full-time job is making pretty things all day long for her Etsy business, so sarah designs, but she also loves writing devotional content here at The Glorious Table.

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