We are in a season where the days are shorter, meaning that its darker outsider earlier. Often after we sign out of work and get settled in, the sun has set. Some of us may also live in areas where the weather makes it to where we are only leaving the house when we absolutely need to.
This time of year, is also known to bring out the loneliness and sadness in people. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that tends to start in the fall and continue through the winter season for most people who experience it. This disorder saps sufferers of their energy and leaves them feeling effects on their mood, their physical health, and even spiritually.
I have personally felt depression and anxiety’s effects on my life, and I have found myself at points where I felt like nothing is going to give. Whether it was putting my all into something and feeling like no change or anything good was coming from it or going through things that left feelings of being unwanted and useless, it left me wanting to admit defeat and giving up on everything.
Life can be hard, and sometimes life tries to teach us that we are inadequate and ineffective, that no matter what we do will change this “reality.” If we listen and accept that lesson, we will give up our fight to try.
This in the psychology world is called “learned helplessness,” which can be associated with depression, sadness, and discouragement that we feel when things never seem to go right or the way we thought they should go.
This “learned helplessness” is what can send us into a slumber, where we want nothing but to retreat to our bed, hide under the covers, and give up- give up our reason to live, give up our sense of purpose, give up our feeling of hope.
When we find ourselves in that dark, deep pit of despair, it can feel hard to find a way out, especially if we have given up on trying.
So, biblically, what do we do? What do we do when we try and try, and we have reached a point to where we feel that we cannot take anymore?
- Do not accept it.
Sounds super simple and easy, right? Just do not accept it. Being real, it can be hard to fight against so much, but as hard as it truly can be, we cannot accept that what are circumstances are now, are what they always will be.
“The tongue can bring death or life; those who talk will reap the consequences.” Proverbs 18:21 (NLT).
“My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” Psalms 45:1 (KJV).
When we want to not accept what we are feeling or going through, speaking words of life can be instrumental. Recite the word of God and speak words of hope over yourself and into your situation. Not only do our words have power, but science backs up that the words we hear can change our thoughts.
2. Change our thoughts.
Take Captive Our Thoughts
2 Corinthians 10:5 instructs us to cast down every imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, against the truth of His word He has given us and bring these thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
When the negative thoughts weigh in on the wrong that is going on in our lives, we must take that thought, weight it against what we know is true in the Lord and speak against it. We must replace those thoughts and think on good things.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” – Philippians 4:8 (KJV).
The power of positive speech has been proven to have a changing effect on the brain. As our brain hears more life-giving speech, it will start to change our thought patterns.
We also must have an attitude of thankfulness. It is in times of great trial where we have most to gain by expressing gratefulness. It has been scientifically proven that thankfulness helps us through tough times by allowing us to celebrate and magnify the goodness despite what is going wrong.
This is not to say we will always feel thankful when we face life’s trials. There is a distinction between feeling thankful and being thankful. We can still be thankful, even when it is hard to feel thankful.
Forget and Move Forward
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (KJV).
When we are constantly holding onto yesterday, it holds us back from looking toward what God has in store for us. Proverbs 4:25 says for us to let our eyes look directly forward and for our gaze to be set before us. This is sound advice, to stay focused on what is right in front of us. Often, our pain and trials can become tools of distraction that are used to get us to unfix our eyes on Jesus.
3. Keep trying.
To try takes effort, and effort can be hard to come by when going through it and wanting to give up, but we can trust in God to be our strength and carry us through the next day, the next hour, and the next second. We may have to examine our hearts and surroundings and problem-solve certain areas in our life to ensure we are ruling out anything that distracts or holds us in our trial and away from God’s presence. We may also have to ensure and work on self-discipline. We need to ensure that we are grounded in the Word and seeking God in prayer. These things will ensure that we are setting our anchor where our hope comes from, Jesus, for in Him, there are greater things to come.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18 (KJV).
Be the first to comment