3 Hopeful Reminders if Your Heart Is Feeling Heavy This Winter

Where we live in West Michigan, the temperature has dropped to the single digits this week! Our house feels a bit colder, the winds feel a little sharper, and sometimes, the frigid temperatures can seem to cut straight to the core.

How are you feeling this winter? Perhaps the shorter, darker days have left your spirits low. Or perhaps it’s not just the weather outside, but a difficult season in your heart that’s weighing you down. One thing’s for sure—life’s emotional winters can leave our hearts feeling heavier than our homes when they’re covered in a thick layer of snow. We’ve walked through our fair share of seasons like that, and one of them even inspired Joanna’s latest book, 101 Prayers to Cope with Depression. She knows the impact depression can have on a person, and she’s also seen firsthand how God can bring light to the darkness.

Whether you are navigating your own journey with depression or simply feeling stuck in the winter blues, we have three hopeful reminders to share with you today. These reminders were inspired by one of our past episodes of the Growing Home Together Podcast that we’ve found comfort in returning back to time and time again, Episode 89: How to Restore a Joyful Spirit in Your Home—with Tama Fortner.

1) Happiness is circumstantial, but the joy of the Lord is everlasting.

Happiness rises and falls with the ups and downs of our circumstances. When life enters a dark and difficult season, it’s tempting to feel like God has left our side. If we get passed over for the promotion, if parenting is challenging, or if we hit a bump in the road of our marriage, it can feel like everything is falling apart.

Yet joy is different. Joy can hold constant even when happiness is fleeting. When we focus on the joy found in Christ, we can experience his sustaining strength even in our darkest days. God’s love holds on to us through every situation we face.

2) God remains faithful.

The Lord isn’t just present when we open the Bible or worship on Sunday. God’s goodness surrounds us in every moment. Realized we are never truly alone starts with opening our eyes to His presence in every part of our lives. If we pay attention, we can see He is dropping evidence of his faithful and loving presence throughout each of our days.

If you are struggling to see that God is for you, try reciting this prayer throughout the day: “God is good. He is Lord of all. He is still in control.” What a simple but powerful practice to grow our trust that God will never let us go.

3) Cherish the current chapter of life.

We often get caught up in a cycle of delayed joy, thinking, “I’ll finally be happy when _________ happens.” But when our whole life becomes a waiting game, we never allow ourselves to fully enjoy the moment we’re in. When we let go of delayed joy, we can discover the joy in the journey instead of just the destination.

If you are suffering through a season of depression, know that God will never waste this pain. He can use your experience to reveal his loving character, to bring encouragement to others, and to show that He is always by your side.

Times of stress, worry, and heaviness are never easy to navigate. It can feel like spring will never come to thaw out our circumstances. Take hope in this: God is always there to see us through, and joy is on the way!

In closing, we want to leave you with this prayer from 101 Prayers to Cope with Depression. It captures how we are feeling at the moment and perfectly exemplifies our prayer for this season of life:

“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” (Jeremiah 31:25)

Lord,

I’m exhausted no matter the hours I lay on my pillow. The most small and mundane tasks demand all my energy to accomplish. It’s a challenge to carry on conversations and stay on top of my schedule. Simply trying to get through the day feels like more than I can manage. It seems like a normal, productive life is slipping out of reach.

While it’s difficult to give myself grace when I’m weak, I find loving compassion in you. You know I’m beaten down and you promise to build me up again. Today, I’m trusting and waiting on you to refresh my spirits. I believe when I’ve overwhelmed and shutting down, you can quiet my panic and carry me through. Your love fills me up when nothing else brings peace or satisfaction. You are so good.

Amen.

Resources mentioned in this blog: