A soothing summer touch
Spring has turned into the summer, with summer showers still watering the flowers that blossomed earlier in the year; there are no more bare trees. Yet summer is not only sunshine, May blossoms and long bright nights, with occasional shooting star. Summer still has shadows too. In some places unlike Ireland the heat can consume one’s energy and time may seem like it is standing still. Summer days, though often they bring delight, may hide boredom in them too.
Welcome this new season within your heart, with everything that it already introduced into your life. Let the gentle love of God shower your soul with His delight and let the Holy Spirit fall upon your heart like tender raindrops falling on the thirsty ground. Allow yourself to be filled with God’s love.
In your soul there is a garden where flowers can bloom too. God’s grace like sunshine makes these inner flowers grow. However, we may need to learn how to protect that inner garden from unwelcome influences that wish to distort the inner work of God within us. Earlier in the year we reflected on seeds planted within our hearts that needed nurturing, protection and encouragement in order to keep growing until they were ready to blossom. Do you remember which seed has been growing within you then; can you see, has it grown so far?
Is there something you would like the summer to sooth within your heart? Maybe you noticed areas in your life where you may need rest, restoration, a soothing summer touch. Take some time to tend to those.
Or perhaps there are areas where you may be tempted with boredom or where things seem like they are on a standstill. Take a few moments of silence to reflect on this, journal about it if that would help you to gather your thoughts, go for a reflective walk and talk to Jesus about it, or listen what He is telling you.
May God bless you with the eternal summer of His love, and bring you restoration and healing you may need in this season of your life.
Iva Beranek
Dr Iva Beranek is the Ministry Facilitator for the CMH: Ireland
