Summer has a way of making everything feel a little easier. School is out. Workdays feel lighter. Vacations are planned. Even the sun stays out longer. But somewhere in the midst of pool days and road trips, it’s easy for our spiritual rhythms to drift.
You don’t mean to ignore God, but your schedule gets looser. Church attendance gets less consistent. Prayer becomes shorter or more distracted. Maybe your Bible sits unopened for a few days. Then a few more. Before you know it, the fire you felt in early June starts to fade by mid-July.
If you’ve ever been there, you’re not alone.
This is not about guilt. This is about guarding something sacred. It’s about protecting your relationship with God in the middle of a season that naturally pulls us toward comfort, relaxation, and distraction.
So the question is this: how do you keep your faith lit when life slows down?
Fire Fades When It’s Left Alone
If you’ve ever sat around a campfire, you know how this works. You can’t just start a fire and walk away. It doesn’t keep burning on its own. It has to be fed. It has to be tended.
Faith works the same way.
Paul encouraged Timothy to stay intentional with his spiritual gifts and calling:
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
—2 Timothy 1:6 (NIV)
Fan into flame. That’s active language. That’s ongoing. Paul didn’t say, “Let it coast.” He didn’t say, “You’ll be fine once it’s started.” He said to keep feeding it. Keep it alive.
That reminder still matters today. Just because your faith burned bright last month doesn’t mean it will stay hot this month. Without attention, even the strongest spiritual fire can start to flicker.
Summer Is a Test of Consistency
Seasons of pressure often push us toward God. We turn to Him in times of struggle or stress. But summer isn’t always filled with pressure. It can be a season of margin. A season of ease. And while that sounds like a good thing, it can also make us spiritually sleepy.
Jesus warned His disciples to stay alert:
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
—Matthew 26:41 (NIV)
When life gets easy, temptation sneaks in through the back door. Not always the loud kind. Sometimes it looks like indifference. Or distraction. Or just letting your guard down.
But when your faith is important to you, you guard it. You don’t just feed it in hard times. You keep it burning in the slow ones too.
Three Ways to Keep the Fire Burning This Summer
If you want to keep your connection to God strong through the middle of summer, here are three practical ways to do it.
1. Stay Rooted in the Word
There’s no substitute for time in Scripture. It doesn’t have to be hours long, but it should be consistent. The Bible isn’t just information. It’s spiritual fuel.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
—Psalm 119:105 (NIV)
Even if your schedule is off or you’re traveling, make time for the Word. You don’t need a perfect setting. You just need a willing heart.
Try listening to an audio Bible on the go. Read one chapter in the morning. Let one verse lead your thoughts throughout the day. Just keep showing up.
2. Build Spiritual Checkpoints Into Your Week
Summer often breaks routine, but you can create new rhythms to anchor your faith. Pick one or two intentional moments each week to pause and check in with God.
That could be a quiet morning walk on Saturdays where you pray instead of scrolling your phone. It could be journaling once a week at sunset. It could be joining a summer Bible study or meeting up with someone to talk about your faith.
The point is to not let the entire summer pass in a blur without any intentional time with God.
“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”
—James 4:8a (NIV)
God is not hiding. He is near and available. But you have to choose to come close.
3. Keep Showing Up in Community
It might be tempting to take a break from church or small group during the summer. The beach sounds better than the pew. But community is where your faith is strengthened, challenged, and supported.
Hebrews gives a clear reminder:
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.”
—Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)
You are not meant to do this alone. Even if your church feels quieter or your usual group is scattered, keep showing up. Be part of what God is doing, even in the slower months.
When the Fire Starts to Flicker
There will be days this summer when you don’t feel close to God. Days when your prayer feels dry or your heart feels far. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It just means you need to tend the fire again.
Remember, fire can be rebuilt. A flame can be rekindled. You don’t need to start over, you just need to lean in.
“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
—James 4:8 (NIV)
That is a promise. Not a maybe. If you take a step toward Him, He will meet you right there. Whether you’re on vacation, at work, or just trying to stay focused in the middle of your routine, He is present and ready to meet you.
Summer Doesn’t Have to Be a Setback
Sometimes we treat summer like a spiritual break. But what if this summer became one of your most spiritually intentional seasons yet?
What if instead of letting the fire die, you made space to grow it?
What if instead of drifting, you stayed steady?
What if you finished the summer stronger than you started?
That’s possible. Not because you’re perfect, but because God is faithful. He’s not waiting for the fall to speak to you. He’s ready now. And He will honor every moment you give Him.
Final Thought
You don’t have to let your faith cool off this summer. It might take intention. It might mean choosing God over comfort. But it will be worth it.
Keep the fire lit. Keep your heart open. Keep walking closely with the One who lit the flame in the first place.
Your summer can be restful and refreshing. But let it also be rooted and alive.
You’re not just coasting through this season. You’re growing through it.
