I’m a baseball fan and the months of July/August are known as the dog days of summer, a time when the weather gets hot and humid and players begin to grow weary from the long 162 game season. 

Perhaps many of us feel like that in our recovery. It’s perfectly normal to feel stuck, tired or discouraged around this time of year. The plans and goals we made for the new year may have lapsed (I know some of mine have!) and it is easy to feel like giving up. Since August is a time where it is easy to fall off track, it is a crucial time to recalibrate our goals and refocus on practices that lead to success.

I encourage you not to throw in the towel, no matter where you are in your recovery journey. I am always encouraged and challenged by one of my favorite Bible verses, written by the Apostle Paul, a man who faced a great deal of adversity in his life. He wrote these words to the Galatian Church:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”¹

Paul’s message is simple and clear – he acknowledges that it is easy to become weary of doing the right thing, but encourages us not to give up. He basically says that if we keep doing the next right thing in the end it will yield a reward. He admonishes us to keep moving forward and don’t let tiredness or discouragement keep us from growing.  

I believe the same principles apply whether in regard to our faith journey or our recovery. Consistency and perseverance are necessary to build momentum and lead to the real change we are looking for. I often find that when I have a slip up, it usually results from becoming lax on the things that brought me success. Whether because of overconfidence or complacency, we can easily lapse on our commitments.

For this reason, August is a great time to refocus on goals and habits we started earlier in the year but may have lapsed or fallen off track. For me that includes getting back to checking in with my small group on the Live Free app once a day. The consistency and accountability of a quick check in really helps me to stay reminded of my recovery journey throughout the day. 

And if you feel like you are getting tired from doing your recovery journey alone, joining a XXX Church small group is a great way to re-energize your recovery, as well as find connection and community. I always leave my group meeting feeling encouraged and energized. There is just something about meeting together with other guys who are going through the same struggles that provides the boost that I need.

Don’t let the dog days of summer cause you to give up in your recovery journey. It’s easy to slack off around this time of year, but it is also the perfect opportunity to recalibrate our goals and commitments and continue to move forward in our recovery.

  1. Galatians 6:9, New International Version (NIV)