For the last several weeks I have been paying close attention to my thoughts. I am just amazed at how many discouraging thoughts go through this mind...no wonder I struggle from time to time with my feelings. No wonder I have wrong responses to trials. Anyway, one particular thought, which may seem minor to some of you, is "Winter makes me depressed." As far back as I can remember I have struggled with winter time blues. The times I have sunk into depression have been in the winter. A couple of weeks ago, on the way to church, I said to my son, "I wish it would warm up!" Then it hit me, I was complaining!!!!! I was not rejoicing in the day God had given to me b/c it was cold. WOW! All of the sudden, like a ton of bricks, I realized that the thought, "Winter makes me depressed." was a sinful thought, it came from a complaining heart. And I was basing my happiness or joy on my circumstances rather than on God. I confessed the sinful thought to the Lord and asked Him to renew my thoughts. Over the course of the next few days the Lord renewed my thoughts in this particular area... I have come away with this thought instead, "I am tempted to be depressed when it is winter. But there is no reason to not rejoice in this day!" I now recognize that my whole thought process in this was sinful. Winter doesn't make me depressed--my sinful and complaining response to winter or the cold weather is what makes me blue or depressed. I wasn't taking responsibility for my thoughts...I wasn't taking them captive. So now, I need to really replace this with thanksgiving. I need to acknowledge that each day is the day that the Lord has made and rejoice in it. I do recognize that cold weather does tend to affect me physically--it is a bit uncomfortable for me...it's a challenge sometimes to stay warm or healthy and not get tired, which makes it a little harder for me to be thankful...but with the Lord's help, I look forward to perhaps less winter time blues in the future!
"This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
