Bible Study - The Mid-Winter Blues

I'm going to apologize in advance for the length of this post! There was just so much I needed to include!

I don’t know about you, but it seems that in about the middle of January every year, I get into somewhat of a funk. The winter has barely started, but it’s about that time when you just get sick of the cold weather, and my mom starts looking at Real-Estate down south. The school year is only half way over, but it feels like it is the only thing that I’ve ever known! The only break to we have to look forward to is summer, and that is still light-years away. Stresses of homework, grades, life, and drama seem to pile up in a giant weight on your shoulders. All those things that God had told you at Camp aren’t really in the forefront of your mind anymore. All you are able to do are clumsily scramble through life, taking it all one day at a time ‘till school lets out.

Well, what if I told you that in 3 simple steps, you too can combat the Mid-Winter Blues! Yes, that’s right! So sit back while I lead you through them! (I feel like I’m in an infomercial! Haha)

1.    Give Thanks

It’s in these crazy times that we need to remember to give thanks to God for all he’s done. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says this “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Yup, kids, in ALL circumstances! How many of y’all know that by all, God means ALL! The good, the bad, the ugly, and the hideous! Think about it. God sacrificed HIS SON for us. And it wasn’t a walk in the park for Jesus either! No sir! But he loved us so much that he hung on a tree and suffocated to death while the people that he was saving taunted him and threw lots for his clothing. Now, Jesus was not helpless. He had the power of God! He had the authority to call down bolts of lightning, smite all the people, and jump down from the cross. But he didn’t. Do you know why? Because that wouldn’t save YOU. He took YOUR punishment and suffered greatly with it so that you could live in heaven instead of the eternal fire of Hell. Wow. And that’s just one of the billions of incredible things that God has done for you! When you focus on the things God has done for you, all those problems you are facing seem to be a little less daunting…which brings me to step two!

2.    Look to God

STORY TIME!!! Now, I’m going to have y'all read a story about two guys who looked to God in their darkness. Go to blueletterbible.org and look up Acts 16:16-34(This bible study would be incredibly long if I included it!) Paul and Silas looked to God when all hope seemed lost. They were in a PRISON FOR PETE’S SAKE!!! And God brought them out! And helped others in the process! And, by golly, they are not the only ones who were brought out of pain and suffering when they looked to God! God’s done it before, he can do it again!

3.    Press on!

Okay, now that you’ve been encouraged, it’s time to belly up and press on alongside the creator of the universe! James 1:12 says “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” So in the words of Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”