The truth of human nature is that we will not find rest until we rest in the heart of God.
Summer months are not merely for relaxation. They can serve as a perfect opportunity to grow closer to Christ and be more deeply united to Jesus.
Taking time away from one’s routine schedule and from the chaotic nature of one’s career is healthy and necessary. However, we can be tempted to find rest through sleep and time on our phones rather than by clinging to God’s Presence.
The truth of human nature is that we will not find rest until we rest in the heart of God. In order to achieve greater intimacy with the Lord, we must rely on making contact with him through Mass and the sacraments, as well as the sacred Scriptures, along with the words and witness of the saints.
First, we can learn from the wisdom of the Psalms. In and through them we gain access to the core of the human condition as well as peer into the loving presence of our God. Throughout the Psalter we are reminded that we can take rest in God and that He is our protector. We also consistently learn how we ought to pray and approach the Lord.
For example, “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings” (Psalm 61:1-4b).
Psalm 61 ought to be applied to our summer of prayer by challenging us to consistently call on the name of our God. Prayer time must be carved out, and we should schedule a daily portion of our day to sit quietly with Christ. However, we are meant to live with the awareness that God’s Spirit never leaves us. We can speak with Him and know of His abiding love at all times. Applying this to our summer relaxation will make us more willing to seek God in our rest rather than just retreat into ourselves.
The words of St. Paul are also insightful. He writes: “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Even when we take days or weeks of rest, we can be tempted to live inside of the worries that we experience at work or because of our careers. Anxiety can also weigh us down when we are on our own rather than surrounded by a to-do list. St. Paul pushes us to speak to the Lord constantly and rely on praising Him as the way to remove anxious thoughts. Giving worship and praise to God is the remedy for a worried heart because we turn our focus toward Him rather than by being consumed by our own wants or fears.
Finally, the words from three saints can help us enter more deeply into our spiritual life this summer. These three quotes challenge us to be rooted in the present moment and find rest in God alone.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux noted, “It is such a folly to pass one’s time fretting, instead of resting quietly on the heart of Jesus.” The Little Flower was able to be so united to Christ because she accepted the grace of utter abandonment to His will. Even our rest and relaxation belong to God.
As St. Francis de Sales said, “Do not lose your inner peace. … If you find that you have wandered away from the shelter of God, lead your heart back to Him quietly and simply.”
Summer is a perfect chance to examine whether or not we are living for God in the ordinary tasks of life. Do we seek to be in communion with the living God above all else? Do we live from the viewpoint that God can reveal Himself to us in a powerful way at any moment?
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) explained it this way: “God is there in these moments of rest and can give us in a single instant exactly what we need.” Stein knew that conversion is a lifelong process but also a journey of constantly being open to the movement of Jesus in the present moment.
Summer is the present moment for all of us. So let us strive to go deeper into the heart of our God — in and out of our times of rest.
