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For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.

- Jeremiah 31:25

We're in the Dog Days of Summer. It's a real thing. I thought it was something my mom came up with for those miserable, hot days of summer with 100% humidity with blinding sunshine and no clouds and no breeze, when it was hard almost to breathe or even move and you looked for a shady place to park no matter how far it was from the store you wanted to go to. The Dog Days of Summer in the South are days when you get things done in the morning if possible and then hide in the air conditioning the rest of the day. 

During this time, it's hard not to be lethargic and hard to be pleasant. It's sticky and miserable, and tempers and patience are short. It's hard to get going, and easy to complain. 

The Dog Days of Summer is a real thing. It lasts each year from July 3 to August 11, when the Sun occupies the same region of the sky as the star Sirius, the Dog Star, which is part of Canis Major, the Greater Dog Constellation. The Romans thought that Sirius added to the heat of our Sun to create the heat we experience in the Dog Days, thus the name. That's why we feel "dog tired" during this time. (Ok, not really, that part I made up.)

During this time, it's hard to stay focused, to get enough rest, to feel rested, to experience restoration. 

For some, it's hard to feel connected or close to God during this time. Our souls cry out, weakly from the heat for Him. We know we need something. We know we need help, but it's hard to put our finger on it. So we go to the beach or the lake or the mountains, somewhere to find relief and that's not a bad thing, but it's incomplete if we don't also take this opportunity to seek God's refreshing Spirit.

God tells us, For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish. (Jeremiah 31:25). God is that inexhaustable source of replenishment, the waterfall that never ceases, and replenishes the pool below, over and over and over, filling and refilling with water and bringing life to the weary soul. He makes  promises to us - I will satisfy the weary soul...I will replenish the languishing soul...He understands our need to feel better. He knows our soul better than we do, and He knows what is best and right for our souls. 

In Psalm 23, David tells us his experience with God, "He restores my soul." (Psalm 23:3). For David, being with the Lord was like being beside a quiet stream, in a meadow (in the shade I am sure), just being in His presence. 

During the Dog Days of Summer, it is wise to take time to be alone with God - not for a nap (do that at another time - that way you won't feel guilty or be able to say, "I always fall asleep when I try to have a quiet time") but for a time to be in His presence. 

When you are at the lake, or the beach, or the mountains or at home, build in time to just sit and be with Him. Open His Word and spend time there. Go through your favorite verses. Listen to worship music. Talk to God while you sit on the porch. Allow Him to replenish your soul. Start a journal and dig down deep and let God know where you are. Find joy in simply being still and being quiet and just listening. Let time stop and be present. Let God speak truth in to your life. Listen for His words that replenish your soul. It's okay to stop and do this - no reason to feel guitly because there is "so much to do." Make your time with God a priority and it will make everything else better. 

When this goes out there will be about 2 weeks left of the Dog Days of Summer. That doesn't mean that the heat goes away and humidity is less, only that Sirius and the Sun no longer will be so closely aligned. It's the perfect time to find replenishment with God - a perfect time to find in Him what your soul longs for - like a day at the beach, or time by or on the lake, or an afternoon shower in the mountains or a fun day with family - a time to align yourself with the Spirit and drink from the well and find relief. 

God wants to replenish your soul - take time to let Him do that during these Dog Days of Summer.