By Lucas Pruett

When I think of the summer, I think of how much excitement always approached as it slowly creeped closer at the end of a long school year. Summer vacation meant a break from the long days of books, classrooms, awkwardness and sports practices. Summer is still an exciting time for us all as we get older. We get to escape the cold weather and enjoy sunshine and family events such as beach trips and family reunions. However, I have noticed that as this summer has approached things have not gotten relaxing but busier. This is the first summer of my life that I have consciously noticed how busy this time can be. Between work, weddings, dinner parties, and family events, I feel exhausted and I am only a week in. This has hit me heavy. Man, what a journey life is. A journey is full of ups and downs, busy and slow seasons, light and heavy times and this life and faith walk is nothing short of that. One verse that I keep falling back on tonight as I walk into what seems a busy season is Psalm 46:10. I hear God passionately speaking this into my heart and I want him to imprint it on yours also.

In this verse, David relays a message from God to us which says, “Be Still, and know that I am God.” Wow, that verse gives me chills. I imagine my heavenly Father looking at us, in the midst of our busyness and fatigue, and says, “Child, be still. Child, slow down. Child, take the time to enjoy the one thing you are made to enjoy and thats me.” That is something that can stop you in your tracks. Children of God, our father doesn’t desire for us to get amped up and exhausted and live life at such a pace that we can’t be fulfilled or enjoy it. Our Father knows too well that rest is essential for our fulfillment. Jesus speaks truth in John 10:10 when he says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The Father’s desire is for us to have a full and abundant life, not a fatigue and exhausted life. That life requires us being able to hit the reset button and find rest. This involves us learning to “be still” in the presence of the Father. The Father knows about rest more than any of us. He took a day off after creating the world in six days. He modeled rest for us. He knows how essential it is for us to “be still” and He wants us to learn that lesson today also!

Brother, I want to challenge you this summer to slow down in the midst of work, vacations, and parties. Sister, I want to challenge you this summer to take a walk in the bright afternoon sunshine and allow God to rest your heart. My “adult” realization of how the summer season picks up has really shaken my foundation and made me listen more intently for that invitation from my Father to “Be Still”. My heart is crying out behind these words for you to accept his invitation. It is beautiful that he knows how essential it is for us to rest but it’s even more beautiful that his invitation to slow down and stop pressing means that we get to spend time with Him. When we slow down, we surrender control of our lives and our chaotic rythm and allow Him to reset the rythm by pouring into us and providing for us. When we be still, then we have the opportunity to spend time with the King of Kings. He wants us in this place where He can have time with us and give us the love, mercy, and portion we need. He isn’t asking us to miss out on anything. He is trying to help us keep our lives in rythm with His rythm and when we walk in that place then our lot becomes more secure than it ever has. Be still today! As always, if you have any thoughts or questions then please send them my way at writingonpurpose@gmail.com. Have a great week!