Let Go of Summer Guilt - Your Nightly Prayer - August 29
Let Go of Summer Guilt
Your Nightly Prayer
By Clarence Haynes Jr.
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ - Matthew 25:23
SOMETHING TO PONDER
Summer can be a wonderful time of the year. The days are longer, the weather is warmer (except for the 100-degree days), and the kids are out of school (great for the kids, maybe not as much for the parents). Summer is the time to do things. You may go on vacation, get back to that book you have been trying to finish reading, get outside and exercise, or finally get the rest you need to reset. Whatever your goals are, in the blink of an eye, the summer season is over, and before you know it, the kids are back in school (great for the parents, but maybe not as much for the kids).
With the season moving by at such a rapid pace, it is possible you did not accomplish as much as you wanted, especially when you compare what you did to everyone else. A quick peek on social media and you see people celebrating their vacations and accomplishments, and suddenly summer can feel like one big, missed opportunity. When this happens, it is easy for summer guilt to set in. That feeling of pressure, regret, or inadequacy you may experience because you feel you did not do enough or enjoy summer “the right way.”
If you have experienced this, then it is time you learn to let it go. One way to do that is to discover why you feel this way. Ask yourself this question.
Do you feel guilty because of what you didn’t accomplish or because it seems too pale compared to what others have done?
If your guilt comes from comparing yourself to others, then that, my friend, is a losing proposition. There will always be someone who appears to do more than you.
-You lose five pounds, they lose ten.
-You go on a 4-day cruise, and they go for 9 days.
-You read one book, and they finish five.
So, if your summer guilt comes from unnecessary pressure or unrealistic expectations, then it is time to shift your focus and remember some wonderful truths from this verse in Matthew.
If you remember the story, the master went away, giving each servant a different amount of gold. When the master returned, he rewarded the servants. Two servants received the same commendation because they were faithful with the resources the master had given them. However, notice their reward was not based on what the others did, but what they did with what they were given. This means there is only one question you must ask yourself. Are you doing your best, and are you faithful with what God has given you? If your answer is yes, then you have no reason to feel guilty. Keep doing your very best, and know the master doesn’t judge you by the results. He judges you by your faithfulness to what he has asked you to do.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the summer, even if it didn’t go exactly how I imagined. Help me not to measure my accomplishments through the lens of others and to release any feelings of guilt or comparison. I pray you allow me to rest, knowing I used my time, energy, and resources to the best of my ability. If I did not do that, then I repent and pray for wisdom to redeem the time more efficiently. From now on, help me measure myself by how you see me and not get overly concerned with how others view me.
I take that pressure off my shoulders and give it to you. In exchange, I pick up your grace, which strengthens me to keep moving ahead.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. God honors your faithfulness and does not measure you based on what others have done.
2. If you have done your best with your time and resources, then you can rest in that.
3. Sometimes, the price you pay to do more is not worth what you must give up to achieve it.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Zoltan Tasi
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