Winter brings with it the beauty of fresh falling snow…and sometimes the drudgery of shorter days and cold nights. As a child, I loved winter and the snow days that inevitably accompanied that season. I still love winter and thrill at the sight of a good snow, but the thrill seems to wear off faster now than the snow melts!
Yesterday, my dad brought his tractor by the house to help remove from our driveway the last vestiges of recent snow and ice accumulation. We left town just before the next band of weather dumped several more inches in the same place! When I landed in the Midwest a couple of hours ago, it was to more of the same. Within minutes, a friend from Florida even bemoaned how unseasonably cold it has been there recently. (Cold is relative!)
People across the nation are dealing with their own version of winter and the effects that it has on them. Church schedules, school plans, work rhythms, and a host of other things can be delayed or postponed at times like this. One of the unexpected repercussions is the way such seasons can affect our emotions.
Medical professionals discuss how lower levels of sunlight affect our circadian rhythms and other things beyond my area of expertise. But I know that what has been called the winter “blues” can creep into the most optimistic among us. Good people, even God’s people, can allow the chill and shadow to influence their mood.
The real question at hand is: how do we deal with the winter “blues”?
1. Keep your devotional life warm.
The light of the Word and the heat of prayer are vital at every season, but must have added attention when we sense that our hearts tend to get cold. Read and listen to things that edify your inner man. Meditate on great verses of Scripture. Dynamic personal worship will help to keep it springtime in your soul! Talk to God throughout the day and major on praise (Psalm 119:164). Thank the Lord for His many blessings, and you will find your mind lifted by the goodness of God. We all talk to ourselves, but beware of what you say! Speak about the blessings and cultivate a heart of gratitude.
2. Stay in meaningful contact with Christian friends and your church family.
Sometimes church gatherings are adjusted, and some are providentially hindered from being together. Do not allow yourself to become disconnected. We were made for fellowship. If you can safely attend meetings, don’t stay away! If you are snowed in, use the technology at your disposal to connect with your church family and friends. (Read “12 Ways to Make the Most of Online Meetings.”)
3. Make it a priority to minister to others.
As you concentrate on the needs of others, you will find that you are less likely to fixate on your own mood. Spend extra time in intercession. Make a phone call to someone who is shut in, remembering that some precious people contend with this year-round. Write a letter. Walk to a neighbor’s house for a brief visit. Pastors have an added layer of responsibility at times like this as they seek to keep up with the needs of many. Check with your pastor to see if you could be of assistance in some way.
4. Fill your home with good music.
Music is a powerful tool that can be used, like every medium, for good or for evil. One of the dangers during these seasons is to keep the television on constantly or to scroll endlessly online. This may fill the empty space and will certainly fill the time, but it will not fill your mind with good things. Limit how much time you spend on entertainment. However, you can have great music playing softly all day long in the background. The right kind of music will not be a distraction or a detractor; it will help to set a joyful, hopeful tone. God-honoring songs will not just fill your home – they will fill your heart!
5. Start or finish a project.
We all need purpose, and giving your energy to a worthwhile project helps your mind. View the weather (which is under the control of the Almighty God, not your meteorologist) as a providential way to get something done that God wants you to do.
6. Treat any extra time you have as a sabbath.
The body needs rest, and very often we have conditioned ourselves to run so hard that we do not know what to do when it slows down! Go to bed a little early. Sleep is a gift from God. Remember that we are a complete person and “your whole spirit and soul and body” are connected (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Eat healthy and get some exercise. Refuse to sit down and do nothing. You can’t control everything, but exercise control over what you can and leave the rest with God.
7. Laugh and enjoy.
A dear friend who is still faithfully serving as an older man told me recently that one of his secrets is simple: he laughs a lot! A merry heart really is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22). Play with the kids or grandkids. Get a game out or get out in the snow. Instead of thinking of what winter takes away, consider it a time to make memories with your family.
The Lord gives us grace for every season. Commit your spirit to His control and refuse to allow emotions to take the place that only He should have in your heart. If emotions run your life, they will ruin your life! “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls” (Proverbs 25:28).
Like every other season, winter will not last forever. But God is always the same, and what you take out of this winter season may be exactly what you need for the season ahead.
RESOURCE: LEARN HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE
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