8I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.10For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.11You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
We can acknowledge that God is with us, and that fact in itself has enormous implications for our spiritual life. If we believe that He is with us and He lives in our hearts through our acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we can know that we are recipients of His love and can have fellowship with Him. We can experience the joy of the Lord - which can be described as deep satisfaction, even the pleasure and excitement of walking with God. He is calling us to enter in to that incredible relationship!
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The cares of this life can burden our hearts, and as the Bible teaches, they can actually prevent God's Word from bearing fruit in our lives. But, God is calling us to release those burdens to Him. 1st Peter 5 says:
6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Yesterday was a significant day across the nation - a Federal holiday established to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And, in Alabama, it marked the inauguration of Governor Robert Bentley and other constitutional officers. The kids were out of school. Indeed, I think you had a number of Alabamians who were too busy to be blue, on what has been recognized as "Blue Monday" - the third Monday of January.
A Fox News story called attention to the mix of factors that contribute to what is believed to be the most depressing day of the year for many: Wintry weather. Post-holiday debt. Failed New Years resolutions. And everyone back in the office after taking time off.
According to the piece, the origin of “Blue Monday” dates back to a 2005 campaign by Sky Travel. The company enlisted former Cardiff University lecturer Cliff Arnall to develop an equation to find out what day is the most depressing of the year.
The equation uses six factors: weather (W), debt (d), time since Christmas (T), time since failing our new year’s resolutions (Q), low motivational levels (M and N).
Scientists have disputed the equation. The Fox story refers to an article on the Canadian CTVnews.ca site that included some comments from neuroscientist Dean Burnett, who says the "Blue Monday" concept is a PR stunt based on pseudoscience. The travel company did want to encourage people to take January vacations, according to the article, which says that:
Media, the public, and even other companies latched onto the idea. A U.K. group started a website dedicated to "beating Blue Monday." Another group, bluemonday.org, encourages acts of kindness on the date.
Scientists, however, say there is no evidence that Blue Monday causes any more sadness than other specific days of the year. Burnett has been outspoken on the topic, publishing multiple blogs in The Guardian dedicated to dispelling the myth.Burnett blames slow January news cycles, general post-holidays discontent, and "confirmation bias" for the term's endurance. He is quoted as saying that, people, "feel down at this time of year, and the Blue Monday claim makes it seem like there are scientific reasons for this." He added, "It also breaks down a very complex issue into something easily quantifiable and simple, and that tends to please a lot of people, giving the impression that the world is predictable and measurable."
Though a particular day may not be "the most" depressing, the Canadian Mental Health Association does recognize that people tend to be affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder at this time of year.
The disorder, the association says, can range from mild winter blues to a serious condition that can interfere with daily life. And contrary to popular belief, it does not only strike in winter. Though less common, some people also suffer from summer depression.
Burnett says he objects so strongly to Blue Monday because of how it leads to misunderstandings about clinical depression and genuine mental illness.
So, if you're feeling blue on this day after "Blue Monday," I want to provide some words of encouragement for you today. (Of course, in legitimate cases of depression, where sadness has become pervasive and chronic, then it may time to seek out some assistance.) We do recognize that one day does not a clinical condition make.
First of all, I want to share that God is our source of joy, and He calls us to delight in Him. Joy is one of the components of what Galatians 5 describes as the "fruit of the Spirit," which is produced as we are connected to Christ. Nehemiah tells us the joy of the Lord is our strength, and we can experience His authentic joy as we spend time in His presence and enter into worship of Him. God's Word and His Spirit will refresh us and worship can be a source of renewal for our hearts.
Discouragement is a tool that the enemy will use to steal our joy, but God will lift us up as we trust in Him. Perhaps you have experienced failure in your life; maybe not in the area of New Year's resolution, but personal mistakes or inadequacies that you are feeling. We have to recognize that the enemy will attempt to weigh us down in our humanity, but God wants to lift us up in His divinity. Regarding whatever weighs us down, God is calling us to cast our cares upon Him, being reminded that He cares for you.
We can attempt to gain a greater sense of the love of God. Remember always that God loves you - He sent His Son to give His life for you and He desires to bring us into relationship with Himself. Read about His great love in His Word and apply that to your own life. And, reflect on how you have seen His love expressed toward you. God's love can provide healing and restoration and the knowledge of His presence can produce refreshing in your heart.
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