I’m a sunshine girl all the way.  I will take a beach vacation over any other type of trip. Every. Time.  Give me all the heat!  There is something about how my skin soaks up the sun’s rays that not only gives me warmth, but also peace and contentment. Pure joy!

Even though I was able to get a little bit of that over the holidays, I, like many of you, are feeling the effects from the lack of sunshine.  These days, these cloudy, dreary, cold January days, are hard.  It’s hard to ignore the absence of light during the winter season.

Even if we started the year with excitement, having high hopes of achieving new goals and aspiring to make positive changes, it doesn’t take long to slide into the blahs. 

Many times, it starts happening and we are not even aware. All of a sudden, we are caught off guard, thinking we are stuck. 

No motivation. Lots of tension.

Wondering what we are doing. 

Is it the right thing?  Are we making a difference? 

If only we could see ‘that thing’ happen.

Our wishes and hopes tend to die down. Or disappear.

We don’t see the light.  We don’t feel the assurance, the worth, the importance.

Blah, blah, blah…

Even though we are in the middle of gray days and anticipating an artic blast, we don’t have to wait for break in the clouds to find the light.

We can cling to knowing there is always hope in who God is and what He can do.  No matter what.  Knowing that Jesus walks with us.  He is here in the good and in the bad.  And, even in the ugly. When we find our confidence and our expectation in what He can do; that’s where we are at ease, where we find the comfort and joy and contentment. It’s through His light that is shining in our lives.

He tells us to focus on His goodness and not be deceived by our own desires.  When we wait on this world, we are filled with disappointment, sadness, and resentment. The blahs. The enemy will take every good intention and mislead us into the shadows of despair; that’s where he does his best work.  But we don’t have to go there. 

We can choose to embrace God’s blessings.

We can choose to let His voice be the one we hear.

We can choose to let His light shine through the drab, the dull, the somber days.

We can choose to allow Him to do His work in us and through us.

But, friends, this does not just happen.  We have to turn our attention to Him.  On purpose. We will see it happening when our thoughts, our actions, and our hearts are fixed on Him. And only Him.

We see it happening when we pray.  When we take our worries, our sorrows, our pain to Him.  We can ask for peace, for comfort, for calm.  We can ask Him to soothe our souls and to make a way for Him to work through us.

We see it happening when we are mindful of the direction and the truth that comes from His word. We get to know more of Him and learn how to live in His love and His glory. Our relationship with Him flourishes as we read and study scripture that was God-breathed and let it guide our steps.

We see it happening when we count our blessings and focus on His faithfulness.  We don’t always understand but we can always trust His ways.  When we are aware of His goodness and our eyes are open to all the blessings that we might otherwise miss, our negativity has a way of melting.  When we see how He is working in our lives and have evidence how He was faithful, time and time again, our faith will carry us into the coming days.

So, if you are finding yourself in the doldrums these long winter days, let me encourage you to get to know, to lean on, to center your heart on your Savior, your Way maker, your Friend, your Light in the darkness, your Jesus! 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV)