As you evaluate your circumstances, your station, and your place in this world, do you ever become sad?
Maybe you really know sadness first-hand, perhaps sharing the diagnosis of S.A.D. with the estimated 10 million Americans nationwide.
S.A.D., or Seasonal Affect Disorder is often diagnosed as feelings of sadness or depression during cooler winter months when people are exposed to less sunshine, cooler temperatures, and often less physical activity and fresh produce.
During winter months in the Northern Hemispshere we do truly have less sunshine. We experience less light and more darkness.
Many, myself included, reach for comfort foods and snuggle down into a warm cozy spot instead of pushing ourselves to try that workout and feed on known health-conscious fare.
Maybe we revert back to habits that we know aren’t healthy but simply make us feel better in the moment.Maybe like me, you’ve experienced a spiritual seasonal affect disorder. When a season of life hits and everything feels dark and distraught.
Sadly, maybe the Son isn’t seen because the darkness and despair loom too large. And, we hunker down, wallowing in that place instead of actively seeking God and intentionally moving closer to Him.
We do what we can to survive the moment, forgetting that Jesus came to not only help us survive but to thrive.
Dear friend, if you find yourself in that place today, there is truly great hope.
I know how I felt when my world came crashing down. When all I believed to be true for my earthly life fell through. When my earthly securities were no more.
When I had to roll out of bed and push myself to put one foot in front of the other.
I didn’t want to wallow there, but I had nothing left in me to propel me forward.
I needed a cure for my spiritual S.A.D: I needed to let the Son shine.
I John 1 succinctly put, reminds me that my beliefs and feelings of faith should not be limited to these momentary experiences, but the history of my walk with God in conjunction with the Truth of His Word.
What have I personally seen? A Father who have never left me nor forsaken me.
What have I observed? He loves me too much to leave me where I am, or leave me alone.
I have felt His goodness and many blessings in the fingerprints of brothers and sisters in Him.
When I am literally at the end of me, His Word always lifts me, corrects my thinking and restore my soul.
He reminds me to lay my sorrows down at His feet and spend time with Him, abandoning the burdens of my heart.
His fellowship doesn’t change my situation, my station, or my place.
His fellowship reminds me I can still be joyous despite my situation, my station, or my place.
The cure for the sadness of this world is indeed letting the Son shine.
Shine in my thoughts.
Shine in my words.
Shine through my actions – even when forced to complete tasks I didn’t choose, but He chose for me for this time.
He can shine through my attitude as I choose a deep breath and consult Him, inviting His light into my darkness.
In choosing to invite the Son to shine, I am asking to end my spiritual seasonal affect disorder. I am asking Him to make my joy complete.
Maybe you are in a place that’s difficult. You don’t have to love it. You needn’t be happy about it. But, I have learned, we get to choose joy.
When we ask God to change our focus from the present, temporary moments we might not have chosen to the eternal truth of who He is and what He’s done for us, our joy can be complete indeed.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your illuminating presence. For the promise that I am never alone, that You will never abandon me. Thank you that You hold me in the palm of you hand. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Dear friend, how do you rise up and refresh your focus on Jesus? How do you let Him shine through you?