Psalm 119 - When Routines Fall Away

Summer in the Psalms

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Have you ever been in the water, on a boat or even a boogie board or a tube, and though you started in one spot, you looked up (maybe woke up) and realized you were somewhere else?

Drifting is a reality for our spiritual lives too if we are not intentional to cultivate faithfulness. My friend, Karolyne Roberts is sharing her reflection of Psalm 119 with us today to help us reflect on what our summer is revealing in our hearts and how we can continue walking with God and closer to Him even when routines change.

In her own words, Karolyne Roberts is a bestselling author and speaker who is blazing the trail for change-makers and transformational leaders around the globe. Through her YouTube channel, she impacts and inspires over 438,000 subscribers worldwide. Karolyne and her husband, Kal Roberts, are cofounders of Miss Eternity (misseternity.com). Karolyne’s women’s ministry, Dear Daddy (deardaddy.com), was created for women to embrace their God-given identity as daughters of the King and grow in intimacy with the Father. Karolyne is also the founder and CEO of the Writers Retreat (writersretreat.com), where she helps believers use their voice and writing to make an impact for the kingdom.

This summer in the Psalms, how can we continue following along the path of Jesus?

Other seasons of life tend to feel more structured, routine, and busy. But in the summertime, life usually slows down a little. School is out, activities pause, and our schedules and commitments can feel much more loose and flexible. If you live somewhere sunny like me, summer can mean daylong trips to the beach. Those trips often leave behind footprints in the sand as you make your way to the shore, and that idea made me think about the footprints of our lives.

As we draw near to the light of God’s presence, the peace He gives, and the washing that His Word brings, what does the path of our footprints look like?

I think summer has a way of revealing things. When routines fall away, what remains underneath? Ask yourself -when no one is checking in, when the structure is gone, when life feels more casual and flexible—what path do I choose then? Do I drift? Do I compromise? Or do I keep walking with God?

Summer can be a gift, but it can also reveal what’s really shaping us.

It reveals whether we only spend time with God when life is organized, or whether we truly hunger for Him. It reveals whether our faith is rooted in routine alone, or in relationship.

If your steps have felt scattered lately, you are not stuck. Jesus is still leading. He still calls us to the narrow path that leads to life. And every step of obedience, no matter how small, matters.

If I’m being honest, there was a point in my life when my path looked more like wandering than walking with purpose. I went through life without any clear direction or guide. I followed along with the world, and I chased after things I thought would satisfy me. But eventually I learned that what the world offers can never truly fill what only Christ can. Then Jesus met me there—the Author of my salvation—and everything changed.

When I made the decision to become a follower of Jesus, I no longer had to move through life without a spiritual compass. I could begin taking steps in the right direction because Christ had already gone before me, but it all started with a choice to obey and carry my own cross. A choice to keep my eyes on Jesus, and that’s how you go from walking towards shore, to walking with him on the water.  Psalm 119:30–32 says:

I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me. I cling to Your testimonies; O Lord, do not put me to shame! I will run the course of Your commandments, For You shall enlarge my heart. - Psalm 119:30-32

I love these verses because they remind us that following God involves a daily choice. “I have chosen the way of faithfulness.” Faithfulness does not happen by accident. We choose, again and again, to set our hearts on God’s truth and to hold fast to His Word.

And I love how the passage moves from choosing the way to running in it. That is what God’s Word does. As He teaches us, strengthens us, and gives us understanding, obedience becomes more than duty—it becomes delight.

I think that is especially important in a season like summer. When routines fall away and life feels more open, it can also be easy to drift without realizing it, but God has not left us without direction. He has given us His Word, and He has given us His Son.

So maybe that is the question to carry with us this summer: what kind of footprints are we leaving behind?

My prayer is not that our walk would look perfect, but that it would look faithful. Step by step, choice by choice, may we continue following Jesus—choosing the way of faithfulness and running in the path of His commands.

Now, It's Your Turn!

I challenge you to take a moment to pray, then read or listen to Psalm 119 today. Think about what stands out to you. Consider writing down a statement of faith. It may help to think of this as an I-statement. Maybe yours is similar to Karolyne's:

Faithfulness does not happen by accident. I must choose, again and again, to set my heart on God’s truth and to hold fast to His Word.

Then, jot down a question to think about today. Maybe yours is similar to Karolyne's:

When my routines fall away, what remains underneath? What kind of footprints am I leaving behind? Does my walk, though not perfect, represent faithfulness?

May this reflection lead our hearts to gratitude and praise today and may we stand in victory against the tactics and schemes of the enemy.

And praise God for refreshment as we are intentional to spend a summer in the Psalms together, for if we want His truth to ever be on our lips, it must first be planted in our hearts.

Our strength grows as we rely on strength from above. Our joy grows as we see God transforming us from the inside out. Our peace grows as we spend time in God's presence, and we find rest when we intentionally seek the Lord first in our lives, for the Lord is ever our portion.

The good life, well it starts with a good day. Then another. Then another. Let's choose to live #TheGoodDay one day at a time.