The dog days of summer. The doldrums. The summer lull. Everybody has a different name for the upcoming time of year. I have found that these descriptions all have one thing in common – when the weather gets got, there is a tendency for Christians to get cold. If we’re not careful, we can become so caught up in making plans and going different places that we neglect the work that must be done right here at home.

I understand the value and joy of family trips, days away from the office, and other leisure activities. And there are few things that I enjoy more than grilling out in the backyard or watching a baseball game on television. But may I offer a few reminders to help us maintain our enthusiasm and zeal through the upcoming summer season?

Don’t take a vacation from the Lord. The kids will soon be out of school. The college students are coming home. People will take time off of work. All of these things are necessary because they allow us to relax and refresh and regroup. Even Solomon said that we need to see the good and reward from our labor, realizing that such activity is “the gift of God” (Eccl. 3:13; 5:18).

But no matter what time of year it is, we must keep in mind that we are still workers for the Lord. We are still accountable for our commitment. It is year-round. That means that there is no such thing as a holiday or a long-weekend for the Christian. The Lord wants us righteous and godly all the time, in season and out of season. That includes June, July, and August.

Make the most of your summer time. How often do you wish that you had more time? “If only there were more hours in the day, more days in the week, more weeks in the month,” we sometimes say. In fact, I can remember a few occasions when I would have been satisfied to have just thirty more minutes. But we have no right to ask for more time when we are poor stewards of the time we have been given. Everyone is apportioned the same amount each day. It’s what you do with it that counts (Eph. 5:16).

What are your plans for this summer? Young people will be free from the distractions of homework and school-related activities. That leaves plenty of time for reading THE book and preparing for Bible class. Many people use up a week or two of vacation from their jobs. What about investing some of that time in improving your relationship with God and the work He has called you to do? No matter what the calendar says, the time is now.

Resist waiting for the fall. There is a temptation to save our best work for when the summer is over. “We’ll wait until school starts.” “Let’s hold off until everybody’s back in town.” “It’s just a few more weeks.” Not only does that attitude promote the failure to recognize that “today is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2), it most likely breeds more procrastination once fall finally does arrive.

But what if the Lord should come before September? Surely the summer months fit the description of Him coming as “a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2). What a shame to think that our recreation and leisure time could cause us to be unprepared for the judgment. We must realize that putting off our responsibilities is as deadly during the summer as it is every other season. The Lord is not going to wait around for us.

There is no need for a summer slump this year. Rather, let us value every moment God has blessed us with in this life under the sun.

—Bubba Garner