Stagnation

Summer can be a time of nonstop adventures – family vacations, working a summer job, or helping out with bible school at your church or a making mission trip. For others, summertime can be complete boredom or anxious anticipation. You might find yourself with nothing to do but simply wait for the next part of life – school, college, or even waiting for your own children to go back to the constant routine in August.

            Whatever kind of summer experience you may be having, you may find yourself falling into a state of spiritual stagnation. Even though you might still go to church every Sunday and even be helping with church activities during the summer, we still can find ourselves becoming detached from the personal relationship with Jesus Christ and be going through the motions.

            Here are some ways you can interrupt the cycle of stagnation in your life and use this summer to be a time of new growth through the Holy Spirit.

• Create good habits. Summer can be a time when we fall into some irregular or even unhealthy routines, like sleeping until noon or wasting every day watching hours of television. Growing up, I was very blessed to have a spiritual mother who insisted on taking us to church every morning of the week, no matter how much we grumbled and complained. We started each day with the Mass, and it created in me a strong love and devotion for the sacraments. Find something that uniquely draws you to Christ and helps you connect to him in a personal way. Develop a habit of connecting with him every day, maybe through a novena or reading a chapter of the Bible.
• Surround yourself with good people. Having a group of people who show you continuous love and support can make a huge difference. In my experience, having a strong support group changed my life and boosted my spiritual and mental health. Simply avoiding the negative people who bring you down and ruin your day can improve your whole outlook on life. You can still love someone as a brother or sister in Christ, but you should also stand up for yourself and avoid things that constantly damage your inner peace. Surrounding yourself with others who are Christ-centered will strengthen your relationship with him and keep you focused on the things that truly matter in this life.
• Focus on something specific you would like to improve. When I was younger, I used to make a list of 20 or more things I wanted to change each new year. However, I began to realize that the longer the list was, the quicker I would be to abandon it entirely and not get remotely close to improving any of them. So instead, focus on 1-3 things that you would like to improve about yourself or your life, like kinder to your closest family or saying the rosary more often. Consider something that you can realistically see yourself working towards. Even baby steps are more valuable than complete stagnation.
• Be thankful. If you’ve read my columns over the years, I’m sure you’ve noticed that I talk about being grateful quite often. But it’s something that is very important in our lives with Christ and every relationship we find ourselves in. Notice the little things and take a moment to truly appreciate them and cherish their meaning.

            Summer might feel like a time of constant chaos or complete boredom, but it can also be a time of growth and new beginnings in Christ. Sometimes we make the mistake of feeling like we need a new year or a certain date to start over or try a new habit, but truly any day is a beautiful opportunity for a new beginning. Tomorrow is never guaranteed, so take advantage of today and courageously step out of your comfort zone to strengthen your relationship with Christ in a new way.

Kate Bittner Luttrell is a 2018 graduate of Marian University in Indianapolis and a daughter of Holy Cross Parish in Fort Branch. She and her husband, Derrick, live in Indianapolis.