The earthly winter season has always been hard for me- because of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), which I finally self diagnosed, after many years. I then began using Agro light from December through April. I recently came across a lesson I had written in November of 1979, over 21 years ago. I had forgotten the details of that time and glad now that I wrote them down. I want to share with you what the Lord taught me during that time…

Thoughts from Jack Hayford:

The previous February Jack had been going through a full colorless time spiritually (Now I think he was suffering from SAD too). He had the spiritual blahs. I felt I was in good company if he, the Psalmist and David has a Winter season in their life too). The Lord led him to Psalms 42:

“As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?
³ My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”
⁴ These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One^[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
    among the festive throng.” (continued)

When not feeling joy, peace, and exuberance, often the first reaction is: “God is mad at me for some reason”. Condemnation sets in. When this happens check first obvious means of overt sin, wrong relationships, or things that need to be righted.

However, these blahs were not that for Jack. It was just the ordinary life type. He was simply walking in God’s direction and the blahs hit. In Psalms 42 Jack found a description of himself and how he was feeling. The 2nd part of verse 5 was wonderful to him and also to me: “I SHALL AGAIN PRAISE HIM FOR HIS HELP.”

His heart began to stir with hope. There AGAIN would be a time full of joy of the Lord. Full of thanks for bringing him out of this.

How should we handle uninspired days?

Mountain top experiences are great. Retreats are great. But people don’t live on the mountain tops. We go there for scenic views, cool breezes and times of refreshment. But we live in the valleys. It doesn’t mean we live in depression but in the valleys were everything grows.  Rivers don’t flow on the mountain top… but instead in the valleys. The growth takes place in the valleys and fruit is grown in the valleys.

We live in valleys. Not in depression, but there life carries on from day to day.

Why are you cast down, O my soul, why are you disquieted within? Hope in God.

What could be some of the reasons?

• not taking care of your body?
• not eating properly?
• not getting enough sleep?
• Overweight?
• Not getting enough exercise?

What did God tell Elijah to do when he was depressed? I Kings 19:1-8

“Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

³ Elijah was afraid^[a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴ while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

⁷ The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.”

How often do we feel like Elijah? That we are the ONLY one who has every gone through a certain thing. But in reality many have gone through the same things and have survived. Elijah though he was the only one left who was true to the Lord. But in vs. 18 we read that seven thousand had not bowed to Baal. You may be a threat to darkness and Satan is attacking you. Jesus’s light may be penetrating the darkness in some area.

The Lord gave Jack Hayford the example of reentry of a space ship into earths atmosphere after being in “darkness”. Jack said that when a space ship re-enters there is a time of no communication for 2-3 minutes. The astronauts know where they are but don’t know what is happening. Sometimes we feel out of communication just like the astronauts.

This makes me think of Pollyann saying to me on the phone while I was in Springfield, “I am lonesome for you. I haven’t had a mama for three weeks. For 2 weeks you were sick and now you are gone for a week. This is much like how I felt with God. He was there but wasn’t in communication.  This was also true for Jack when he says, “There is no spiritual advance in your life without a corresponding period of questioning in your own soul as to what is wrong.” God is putting a shield around you for a time. But it feels like isolation. But it’s for your own good, as you go through the period of penetration.

Why are you cast down? You need a period of rest. Flowers cant stand 24 hours of sunshine. Many need to close up for the night. There are times of night for us too. To be closed up for rest.

Psalms 42:8 “At night his song is with me”. For Jack, his “song” was “Jesus filled my empty life” and it became the song for me too!

(See “Empty Pots” entry)

Why are you cast down? It is just winter/ night and it could go on for weeks.

It’s hard when friends are UP. All excited about what the Lord has done for them and you feel like saying. “Oh, shut up!” It would be nice to have all your seasons together but it doesn’t work that way.

Could it be that you are overloaded and not sharing your burden? Galations 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” We need to be ministered to as well as ministering to others. Be able to say “I am going through a winter season- will you stand with me?

Psalm 131 is helpful to me during winters. Don’t fight them, just rest in them on your Father’s chest.

“My heart is not proud, Lord,