Issue #1,141 – S.A.D. – April 27, 2023
The sun crept, rising slowly over the mountains and bringing light to a new day.
I am always appreciative of the sunrise. I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), meaning that my depression worsens in periods of lower sunlight. November through February are the worst times when it can be dark by 4 PM, and it doesn’t get light until after 8 AM.
I am told by doctors that SAD is caused by a biochemical imbalance in the hypothalamus due to the shortening of the daylight hours and lack of sunlight. SAD can be a seriously disabling illness for many people. It can prevent them from functioning normally without continuous medical treatment.
There is a form of SAD that is a mildly but still somewhat debilitating condition causing discomfort but less severe suffering for some people. This lesser condition is labelled “subsyndromal seasonal affective disorder” or “the winter blues.” These people, too, appreciate lengthening days.
Reading the Bible convinces me that King David must have suffered from depression as well. He may not have suffered from SAD but he hit many emotional and spiritual lows along his journey. If you read the Psalms, you will see David ride the roller coaster from the bitter depths of despair to leaping for joy on spiritual mountain tops.
Through it all, David leaned heavily on God. He meditated on God’s Word, spent time in the temple (when not on the run), offered the sacrifices required by Mosaic Law and conversed with God frequently.
I believe there is a spiritual equivalent to SAD called “Son Affective Disorder.” You won’t find it in medical texts, but it is real. The further we get from Jesus, the more things darken, and our burdens become heavier. We can be affected by this disorder no matter the weather or season.
None of us walk the Christian faith alone; it is meant to be lived in community. We need true Christian fellowship to have people share our burdens and to help them carry theirs. We need to spend time together rejoicing and mourning, in prayer, worship and studying God’s Word.
When we don’t have that, we can begin to be struck by Son Affective Disorder. God created us to be in a relationship in two directions, the vertical with Him and the horizontal with other people. It’s an integral part of our humanness. We ignore that truth to our own physical, emotional and spiritual peril.
I think we can learn a lot from David’s example. We no longer need to offer blood sacrifices but can gather together. We can spend time studying and meditating on God’s Word. Anyone who can access Gleanings probably also has ready access to the Scriptures. We can pray, individually and corporately, not just laying out our wish list but also taking time to listen to the LORD.
The Scriptures remind us…
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near Hebrews 10:19-25
Even when the sun isn’t shining, we can bask in the light of the Son.
Until next time may you enjoy His light no matter what you face. May you seek God’s face and give Him all the glory.
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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