How to Find Peace in Busy August is a guest post I wrote for my friend Debbie Kitterman in 2017, and now I’ve moved it here.
Want to listen to the podcast episode? Here it is:
How to Find Peace in Busy August
August has long been a month of trials for me.
- As a child, I felt nervous about new faces and new teachers.
- As a high school student, I felt worried over social pressures.
- As a college student, I wondered how I could possibly balance work, school, and downtime.
- Now, as a mom of three and a full-time freelancer, I’m juggling even more balls in August. Working, exercising, carpool, cooking, and cleaning…the list heats up as summer winds down. Oh, and my tomatoes will soon ripen and need processing too!
Will this late-summer gearshift ever stop? Not according to my older, wiser friends. Life will keep getting busier in future Augusts.
It’s high time for me to change my attitude toward the busy, pressured August days. I don’t want to see August as a burden anymore. I want to find the blessings hidden in this special, God-given month.
I’m meditating on my chosen verse for 2017 this August:
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. Isaiah 26:3 NLT
I can find peace this August by keeping my mind steadfast on…what?
- God’s character…He is sovereign over all that happens in my world. I don’t need to worry because He’s in control. I can praise God for His sovereignty.
- God’s timing…His plans are perfect. He is never behind schedule or in a hurry. If I want to be more like Him, I need to stop dawdling AND stop rushing.
- God’s purpose…He gives me many things to do because they allow me to live out His purpose for my life. Being a mother and writer are His perfect purposes for me, and I can expect those purposes to keep me busy. I can be thankful for my purposes.
- God’s provision…When I feel overburdened, stressed, or tired, I can turn to God for strength. I can rely on Him to provide the energy I need to complete all my necessary tasks, and the wisdom to cut out ones that aren’t as important.
- God’s love for me…He waits for me to meet with him every morning. He walks alongside me all day long. He calls me into His presence each night before I go to sleep. He wants to be with me because He loves me! I can rejoice over this.
Keeping my mind steadfast on God shows my trust in Him.
God knows August isn’t my favorite month. He knows it feels jarring to my calm, steady nature. Yet He knows change is good for me and my family. He wants to keep me moving forward. Each year, He gives me a new push into the future when August comes around.
In August, I’m seeking greater peace by studying nature:
- Pausing to listen to the cicada sounds on my evening walks.
- Studying the slanted late-afternoon light, which tells me autumn is just around the corner.
- Watering my tired flowers, coaxing them to bloom a few more times before frost hits.
- Picking a few sturdy magenta zinnias from the garden and marveling in their glorious forms.
Pausing to ponder August’s beauty brings needed rest to my soul in these busy days. On my evening walks, I lift my cares up to God. I lay out all the junk and ask Him to help me sort it out. As I keep walking, I ask Him to sift through my trials and teach me the valuable lessons. I seek His guidance on the path that lies ahead. These August prayer walks with God give me the peace I’m seeking as I dwell in His presence.
How are you finding peace this August? Gain more inspiration in my post, Lessons from the August Garden, HERE.
If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!
This post may be linked up at these linkups. I love the blogging community and consider these hosts my friends–please visit their sites and encourage them too!
My weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdays is delivered at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday. I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that is shared nowhere else.
To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!
