Blue Monday — Broken & Hopeful

I heard on the radio the other day that the third Monday of January is called Blue Monday. Apparently, many people are struggling with being done with a fun time of year at Christmas while still having the bills, the failed New Year’s resolutions and the cold weather. Whether you call it seasonal affective disorder or just the winter blues, many people really struggle with discouragement, lack of motivation, depression and hopelessness during this time of year. 

I wonder how much of that is our sense of failure, as we realize we spent too much money at Christmas, ate more than we wanted to, or didn’t keep any of the resolutions we had set up for ourselves at the beginning of the year. So often we define our mood by our sense of accomplishment, and a bad mood starts with feeling like we have only failed at everything.

Last week I felt myself going into the funk of discouragement. I was tired and worn out with dealing with a lot of physical and emotional issues in my family over the last month.  I cried out for something to give, for the “normal” to return and with it, peace. I forgot something, though, as I tend to do. 

My hope and peace are not found in everything going great, in how much I have succeeded (in whatever terms I state that success) or in the lack of struggle. I can have peace and hope no matter what is going on around me because Jesus’ Life within brings a living, energetic hope in Him. Sometimes I need some forced rest to remember this, as it makes me stop all the performing and just sit with Jesus. In those quiet moments of His reminding me of His love overflowing in my heart, I am able to find hope and even joy. Everything doesn’t have to be going the way I wanted it, but rather I will choose to trust God in it. 

I realize I can take my hands off and stop trying to control. I can rest. There is something about winter that reminds us that the plants don’t bloom all year round for a reason. God has created them to be quiet in the winter, while He works all sorts of miraculous things inside them in order to make spring possible again. I wonder if perhaps we need to redefine Blue Monday (or January as a whole sometimes!) as Resting Monday. It’s ok if you don’t get a lot achieved or don’t have a lot of motivation. It’s ok to just sit and soak in the love of God for you. 

Of course, you will achieve things again, maybe even in the month of January. But I don’t want to rush past the time of God’s reminding me that I have a living, energetic hope in Him and access to it every moment of every day. He will empower me to live even the most discouraging seasons of life. Sometimes I just need a little rest to remember. 

Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us his extravagant mercy. For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life—we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3

 “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Come to me.  I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.” Matthew 11:28-30