We are in the time of the year when everything gets much colder. As a result, people's moods tend to change for the negative. Countless studies have proven that when the weather changes, it has tremendous effects on one's mood. This is why it is so very important for us to keep track of how we are feeling, especially during these cold times. How must we deal with these winter blues? Does the Bible offer us any solutions? In this blog, I shall give some very important tips on how to deal with what psychologists have called Seasonal Depression. Before I get into this, however, I would like to establish that I used to be someone who dealt with depression a lot during this time of year. As someone who was taken from his family at such a young age, I know all too well how it feels to be lonely. So, please understand that I fully comprehend how tough this time can be for some people. The advice that I will give in this blog is not only stuff that has helped me, but it is also stuff that I wish someone would have told me when I was younger. It could have saved me from a lot of unnecessary stress and grief. I would like to point out that these are not the only ways that can help you overcome Seasonal Depression. These are just the main things that I'd like to focus on for the sake of this blog. If you can think of anything more, please feel free to comment below. Now, it is time for me to get into this biblical advice.
Prayer
This may seem like a trite point to make but prayer is actually the most valuable tool we have in our arsenal. As it says in 1 Peter 5:7,
"...casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you"
The infinitely holy and omnipotent God cares for you. This is incredible news for those of us who are Christians. God is in control of every minute detail that goes on in this creation and He has promised to work out all things for our good (Romans 8:28). No matter what you are going through this season, we can learn to trust Him to heal our hearts. So, do not be afraid to go to Him with your anxieties and/or sadness because our God is big enough and strong enough to carry us through them.
"...casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you"
The infinitely holy and omnipotent God cares for you. This is incredible news for those of us who are Christians. God is in control of every minute detail that goes on in this creation and He has promised to work out all things for our good (Romans 8:28). No matter what you are going through this season, we can learn to trust Him to heal our hearts. So, do not be afraid to go to Him with your anxieties and/or sadness because our God is big enough and strong enough to carry us through them.
Community
This next piece of advice is also vitally important for us to understand because God did not create us to be alone. I understand that when you are depressed, it is very tempting to isolate. However, isolation is never good for anyone. All isolation does is cause us to be even more depressed. As Hebrews 10:25 tells us,
"...not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day draw near"
I understand that this text is commonly used as an exhortation for people to not neglect going to church. I agree that going to church is one of the most important things a Christian can do because it strengthens our faith when we worship God together. However, I also believe this text speaks to the fact that we need to be around one another outside of the church walls too. It is not good enough for us to just see each other every Sunday. We need to also be around our family during the week as well. When we are around people who care for us, it really does go a long way in healing our depressed minds.
"...not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day draw near"
I understand that this text is commonly used as an exhortation for people to not neglect going to church. I agree that going to church is one of the most important things a Christian can do because it strengthens our faith when we worship God together. However, I also believe this text speaks to the fact that we need to be around one another outside of the church walls too. It is not good enough for us to just see each other every Sunday. We need to also be around our family during the week as well. When we are around people who care for us, it really does go a long way in healing our depressed minds.
Think Positively
I understand that this piece of advice can be taken with some offense because when someone is depressed it is very difficult for the person to just "think positive". However, Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8.
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things"
We are commanded to make an intentional effort to think about positive things. Cognitive psychologists have found that our thoughts dictate our feelings. This means that if our thinking is positive, then our feelings will become more positive. This may not happen right away, but if we change our thinking, eventually our feelings will follow. I know this is the hardest piece of advice to accept all too well because I am always thinking negative thoughts. However, I have noticed that when I do think about everything I am thankful to God for, my feelings become much more positive. I am not saying that our thinking can change our circumstances, as some false teachers would suggest, but I am saying that our thinking can change how we perceive our circumstances. For example, last year I was facing a life-altering surgery and it caused me to worry about it because I thought I would die as a result of it. I was not afraid to die, but I did not want to leave my wife alone. As a result of this kind of thinking, I started "preparing" people for my demise. It did not matter to me that all the evidence pointed to the fact that I would be ok after the surgery because my mind convinced me that I would not be ok. My point in telling you about this is that if I had changed my thinking about my surgery to something more positive, such as thinking about the fact that I'll be able to live without an ostomy bag again, then I would have gone into the surgery room with a more positive outlook. Instead of thinking that I would die, I would have been thinking about what I would do once I awoke and saw that I no longer needed an ostomy bag. Our thinking about any circumstance affects how we feel about the circumstance.
I hope that this blog helps you better understand how you can overcome Seasonal Depression this year. I know that the winter blues are not any fun to deal with, but with faith in God, we can overcome anything. Thank you very much for being willing to read this blog and please share this with anyone you feel needs to read this. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all!
-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate
Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things"
We are commanded to make an intentional effort to think about positive things. Cognitive psychologists have found that our thoughts dictate our feelings. This means that if our thinking is positive, then our feelings will become more positive. This may not happen right away, but if we change our thinking, eventually our feelings will follow. I know this is the hardest piece of advice to accept all too well because I am always thinking negative thoughts. However, I have noticed that when I do think about everything I am thankful to God for, my feelings become much more positive. I am not saying that our thinking can change our circumstances, as some false teachers would suggest, but I am saying that our thinking can change how we perceive our circumstances. For example, last year I was facing a life-altering surgery and it caused me to worry about it because I thought I would die as a result of it. I was not afraid to die, but I did not want to leave my wife alone. As a result of this kind of thinking, I started "preparing" people for my demise. It did not matter to me that all the evidence pointed to the fact that I would be ok after the surgery because my mind convinced me that I would not be ok. My point in telling you about this is that if I had changed my thinking about my surgery to something more positive, such as thinking about the fact that I'll be able to live without an ostomy bag again, then I would have gone into the surgery room with a more positive outlook. Instead of thinking that I would die, I would have been thinking about what I would do once I awoke and saw that I no longer needed an ostomy bag. Our thinking about any circumstance affects how we feel about the circumstance.
I hope that this blog helps you better understand how you can overcome Seasonal Depression this year. I know that the winter blues are not any fun to deal with, but with faith in God, we can overcome anything. Thank you very much for being willing to read this blog and please share this with anyone you feel needs to read this. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all!
-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate
Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
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