As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. (Psalm 42:1)
It’s summer—and wow, it is hot! If you’ve ever spent time in South Carolina during these months, you know the heat isn’t just high—it’s heavy here. The mix of heat and humidity can feel like you’re walking into a steam room.
When you’re out on the course, especially under the intense sun, the heat will wear you down if you’re not careful. That’s why it’s so important to stay hydrated, eat regularly to keep your energy up, and find as many shaded areas as possible, hopefully keeping your ball in play! And of course, never forget your SPF!
When you get too hot and don’t take care of yourself while playing, you start to feel weak, dizzy, and sluggish. It’s hard to focus. You lose your edge. And that’s a perfect picture of how life works, too.
Just like we prepare physically to perform well in the heat, we need to prepare spiritually to handle life. That means staying spiritually hydrated by drinking in the Word of God. “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1, ESV).
We can’t run this race on empty. We need spiritual nourishment and hydration to stay strong, and that comes from time in prayer, reading the Bible, and walking daily with Christ.
We also need to pace ourselves. If we don’t, by the time we get to hole #14-we can easily hit a wall.
Life can feel like a constant push, and sometimes we don’t realize how spiritually exhausted we are until we’re already burned out and overheated.
Have you ever felt this way? If so, have you ever felt it in your soul? Sometimes our soul simply needs some rest. Jesus Himself invites us to do exactly that: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, ESV). He knows we get worn down, and He offers real rest—not just for our bodies, but for our hearts and minds.
And just like applying sunscreen protects us from getting burned, we must protect ourselves spiritually from the attacks of the enemy. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 to put on the full armor of God. “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11, ESV).
The enemy doesn’t take breaks, so neither should our spiritual protection. The armor—truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, the Word—shields us from sin that can spread if left unchecked.
Just like applying sunscreen protects your skin, covering yourself in truth, rest, and intentional preparation can guard your soul and help you begin again with strength and grace.
So today, take care of yourself—physically and spiritually. Drink deeply from the Word, nourish your soul with truth, rest in Jesus, put on your armor, and don’t forget the sunscreen while you’re out on the course in this summer heat. You’ll be stronger and protected both on the course and in life when you do.
Prayer: “Lord, as we journey through this life, remind us that our bodies and souls are gifts from you. Help us to walk wisely and rest when needed, to nourish ourselves with Your Word, and to live with rhythms of grace. Teach us to stay balanced—not by our own strength, but by abiding in You. Amen.”