“Mom, what are those blue spots on the loaf of bread?” my daughter questioned as I was reaching for my morning coffee. Uh oh.

I walked over to the counter, plucked up the half loaf with the plastic bag clearly displaying the fuzzy spots of my neglect, and tossed it into the garbage.

Summertime for me means fewer hours in the kitchen and more time outdoors. Our family loves the longer hours of daylight, less structured schedule, and casual order of June, July, and August. But sometimes, we get a little too relaxed, and in the case of a once fresh loaf of bread, find that by forgetting to put it in the fridge, it has gone bad. As much as I dislike wasting food, there’s no hope for that bread.

Sometimes a change in season in our life can result in spiritual neglect. Whether it’s a new work schedule, a move to a new community, or just the busyness of summer activities, we may find we’re no longer consistently reading God’s Word, praying, or even attending church services or a small group meeting. After a while, we may find ourselves slipping into old habits and patterns that make it clear that something’s going bad.

The great news for you and me is that unlike moldy bread, there’s hope for us!

When we realize we’ve been neglecting our relationship with God, we can make corrections and get back on track. It may take a little evaluation and then the discipline of making new and better habits, but we can do it with God and a little accountability help from our friends and family.

This summer, is anything going bad as a result of neglecting your time with God?