January in Kinship Christian Radioland can be tough.
After the joy of the first snowfall and the wonder of the glorious Christmas season, many of us experience a kind of post-holiday come-down. The days start to get kind of gray and sometimes we go more than a couple of days without actually seeing the sun at all.
That has an actual biological effect on people. I’m sure most of you have heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder, where treatment involves the use of special lamps to help people through a very real depression caused by lack of sunlight. (If you are experiencing low energy, depression almost every day, insomnia, or thoughts of suicide, you should certainly seek medical attention knowing there is effective help for you.)
As a Christian, our need for sunlight does not surprise me at all as the Bible mentions numerous times that when we are saved, we become children of the Kingdom of Light. Jesus calls himself the Light of the World and we find in the book of Revelation that there will never be any darkness in heaven. (Revelation 21:23)
We need light. We were built to walk in the light.
So, as part of the service I offer here as Kinship Christian Radio’s blog writer, for those of you who are experiencing the post-Christmas let-down, here are some tips to help you through the grayness of the coming days:
PRAISE THE LORD! I have written many times about the preacher I heard on Kinship Christian Radio many years ago who said, “Praise of the LORD creates an atmosphere the enemy cannot move through.” In my personal experience, I have found praise to be an effective weapon in the spiritual battle we all face every day. The enemy of your soul would very much like to incapacitate you by whatever means possible. Praise of God affirms that God is in control, that He is almighty, omniscient, omnipotent, and loves you so much He would send His only Son to die for you so that YOU could have eternal life! HALLELUJAH! He’s an amazing and wonderful God and He is WORTHY of all our praise! James 4:7b says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” I can think of no better resistance against that old dragon than honest, heartfelt, intensive, unrelenting praise of the LORD our God! HALLELUJAH! It also feels great and does wonders to revitalize a lagging soul.
HALLELUJAH! Look for times and places to say “HALLELUJAH!” Many of us spend much of our lives mired in the swamp of negativity. One of the best ways to counter this tendency is look for the positive and actually use the word “Hallelujah” out loud. Even people who object to “Merry Christmas” or “God bless you” seldom indicate disapproval of a well-timed “Hallelujah!” (Please keep in mind that your face should also look like you mean “Hallelujah” when you use the word. Otherwise, it’s just sarcasm.)
GOD KNOWS. Look, we’re all human beings. We can’t be on the mountain top 100% of the time. God knows how you feel and why you feel like you do. Trust Him and know that it won’t be like this all the time. May is coming. Honest. (Do resist the temptation to count the days until it comes.) It will be here all in God’s time and He is totally in control. Use this as a time to rest and recharge when you’re snowed in. A cup of hot chocolate in your favorite mug, a good book, and a warm blanket are not sinful.
HELP SOMEONE. One of the best ways to make the winter go faster is to spend some time helping others. Grab your shovel and help your neighbor shovel out. Volunteer at a local charity or Christian radio station. (Yes, that was a rather obvious hint.)
YOU ARE NOT THE LONE RANGER. Great Bible verse on this topic, Tonto: No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) What you are experiencing happens to us all, but there’s a promise in that verse and it is true.
KINSHIP CHRISTIAN RADIO. Okay, most of you already know this but the songs of praise and the preaching of the Word on Kinship Christian Radio will often miraculously (Yes, I chose that word on purpose) feed your soul exactly what it needs exactly when it needs it.
MISSION TRIP. This one may not be for everyone, but I find that going where God sends me to multiply the love of Jesus recharges my HALLELUJAH generator for many months and even years to come. Be aware, however, that a mission trip done solely for the purpose of escaping the frozen tundra is not a properly-done mission trip. If that’s your objective and you can afford it, there’s nothing wrong with a tropical vacation.
I hope all of this helps, and if you’d like to share your tips for coping with the long, gray winter feel free to do so in the comments below.
Today’s Praise
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.
Ephesians 5:8-10 (NIV)