05/30/2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I write this on Thursday afternoon, the last day of school for the summer. As I do so, my mind drifts back to simpler, sweeter days. Days when we kids would spill out of our classrooms, bikes waiting, chalk dust on our hands, and spend long afternoons in the sun. Neighborhoods would buzz with laughter. Some of us would scrape our knees, jump rope with friends, throw baseballs with buddies, skate, and have the kind of fun that didn’t need batteries, a phone, a charging cord, or a computer screen.
Today, summer looks very different. Motorized scooters hum along sidewalks. Kids gather around screens instead of having fun in treehouses. Even the quiet moments, those precious pockets of stillness, are filled with gaming, scrolling, or streaming. And if we’re honest, it’s not just the kids these days.
The truth is, we, too, have traded our “days off” for noise and distraction. We’ve traded the comfort of silence for the constant hum of entertainment. We’ve replaced the slow delight of reading with the quick hit of a show or a feed. Our attention spans have shortened, our capacity for stillness has thinned, our patience has worn down, our ability to sit quietly with God has eroded, and our souls feel it.
But Scripture reminds us that this dangerous drift toward distraction isn’t accidental. It’s not just a circumstance of living in a technological world. It’s much more sinister than that.
Ephesians 2:2 speaks of “the prince of the power of the air.” The enemy. The evil one. The deceiver. Satan himself. The one who, more than anything, seeks to draw us away from the living God who loves us, calls us, and gives us life.
Ephesians 2:2 is a reminder that the enemy is always at work, eager to draw our minds, time, and devotion away from the things that give life. We, Christians, need to remember that laziness doesn’t always look like lying on the couch or sitting in our favorite recliner. It often looks like being busy with everything except what really matters.
Summer break, retirement, or whatever season we’re in brings the temptation to spiritually “clock out,” let our Bibles gather dust, and let our screens take up the hours.
But God invites us into something much better.
He calls us to rest, yes, but rest that restores, not rest that numbs. Rest that draws us closer to Him, not deeper into distraction. Rest that strengthens our spirit rather than weakens our focus.
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” And this is crucial. Stillness is not passive. It’s intentional. It’s a choice. It’s a discipline.
This week, as kids and teens step into their summer rhythms, whatever those rhythms may be, let us step into ours with purpose. Let us reclaim the quiet. Let us choose to spend time in Scripture over scrolling on our phones or computers. Let us remember that breaks are not an excuse to drift, but an opportunity to draw nearer to the One who has saved our souls.
Because no matter our age, the Enemy would love nothing more than to make us spiritually sleepy. But God has given us His Word to awaken us, anchor us, and shape us.
May this summer season be one where we don’t grow lazier in our walk with Christ, but hungrier. Where we don’t fill every silence, but savor it. Where we don’t let the world set our pace, but let the Spirit lead our steps.
Grace and Peace
Austin
