by Sandy Kirby Quandt

“In The Bleak Midwinter” is one of my favorite songs; not just at Christmas, but all year long.

I’ve lived in areas of the country that qualified as a bleak midwinter. Barren trees. Dead grass. Gray skies. Water as hard as stone. Frosty cold air along with frosty cold attitudes.

I’ve lived where Seasonal Affective Disorder reigns. In fact, I met Dr. Norman Rosenthal, the world-renowned researcher and psychiatrist who first diagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and light therapy to treat it in 1981.

We may not live in climates subjected to a lack of sunshine, but many of us live in climates subjected to a lack of SONshine.

We live in a land of dark shadows, and walk in darkness.

A land where the light of Jesus is suppressed.

A land where darkness threatens to block out everything that is pure, true, lovely, just, noble, honest, and praiseworthy.

We live in a land where decency, purity, truth, and honesty are dismissed as habits of fools; and unethical behaviors, bullying tactics, lies, and dishonesty reign as tools of the wise.

In Dr. Rosenthal’s study on SAD he discovered several things which could combat it’s effect. I’m going to borrow from Dr. Rosenthal’s research, look at the Bible, and see how we can combat a different kind of SAD – Son Avoidance Disorder.

Light therapy:

When our days seem dark, we should turn our focus on Jesus, the Light of the World, in whom there is no darkness.

Stress management:

The Bible tells us to cast all our cares on Jesus because he cares for us. Meditate on the truth found in God’s Holy Word.

Exercise:

We gain great benefit from the spiritual exercise of prayer, meeting together with like minded Believers, and studying the Scriptures.

Talk Therapy:

As iron sharpens iron, we need trusted prayer warriors and strong Christians to walk with us through our bleak days of winter.

Take trips to sunny places:

Traveling or moving to a sunny place may not be an option for us, but we can keep on the sunny side of life by turning our thoughts to whatever is true, lovely, praiseworthy …

Watch our diet:

If the daily intake into our mind is full of rage, insults, belittling, and rude behavior either from hateful social media rants; loud mouthed radio and television talking-heads; movies, television, or books that promote values contradictory to those found in the Bible, then we need to remove them off our plates and get them out of our system.

Whether we struggle through the gray days of a bleak midwinter, or the gray days of living in a land of dark shadows, our hope rests in Jesus.

How do you manage a bleak midwinter?

Leave a comment below to share your thoughts on the subject. If you think others would appreciate reading this, please share it through the social media buttons.

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. The light will shine on those living in the land of dark shadows. Isaiah 9:2 (NLV)

I wish you well,

Sandy

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One of my posts will appear on Inspire a Fire Tuesday, January 3, 2017. Please stop by.