What Can You Do About Sadness in the Holidays?

For many people, the holiday season brings sadness. For some, their sadness manifests itself in down days, lots of self-reflection, anxiety, and a genuine dislike for the season. For others, holiday sadness can be much more entrenched, even described through words like “hatred for the holidays,” “this season depresses me,” and “extreme sadness.”  Usually, memories of the past, reflections on unpleasant life changes, the death of loved ones, and discontentment with the present all comingle to produce the sadness. If you or your loved one falls somewhere on this spectrum, what can you do about sadness in the holidays? In this blog, I share a special remedy from Bill Allen, my great friend and co-counselor, on how you can fight back against sadness.

Focus on the Majesty of God for Joy

When a follower of Jesus Christ is sad, one of the most helpful activities to turn one’s perspective away from sadness is to focus on the majesty of God. A close friend and co-counselor of mine, Bill Allen, made a list of what he calls, “Rescue Verses.” He recommends using this list of “Rescue Verses” whenever one is sad or anxious. The verse list comprises those passages that help us focus on What we can or do know about our Awesome God. In other words, when you approach each of these passages, you ask yourself the question, “What can I know about my awesome God from this text?”

How it works

When you are feeling moments or periods of sadness (depending where you are on the continuum of holiday sadness), take your rescue verse list out and begin to read through the verses. As you do, ask the question, “What can I know or do know about my awesome God from this text?” If you are where you can jot down a few things, do so. If not, keep reading them over and over in the text. Maybe pick one verse in a selected passage to write down on a card to carry with you throughout your day. Below the verse, answer your question about what you can know about your awesome God. Read it twice per hour.

Pray a simple prays as you read over the passages. Examples include:

• God, help me choose to believe this truth about You and how wonderful You are. Help me in my unbelief.
• Thank You, God, for Who You are, what You do, and how You do it.
• Even when I do not understand all the individual things you are doing in my life, help me both understand and claim these good things about Who You are and Your love.
• Thank You, God, for using Your power for my good, the good of Your people, and Your glory.
• I am so thankful, God, for Your covenant faithfulness – especially in Jesus Christ and Your promises to me through Him.
• Thank You, that everything in Christ is a “Yes!”
• In mercy, God, you spare me from what I deserve. In grace, God, in Christ, you give me everything I need for life and godliness in this life and for eternity.
• Thank You, God, for never leaving me or forsaking me. Thank You for being here, right now, always present with me. I acknowledge Your presence. Thank You for the Holy Spirit who even now prays with me, for me, and understands Your will perfectly. And, thank You for the intercession of Jesus for me.

The goal of this exercise is to keep your mind pointed vertically toward God, His majesty, and His love. Focus your attention on what God provides for you through Jesus Christ.

Suggested passages to get you started – a beginning list

Let me suggest passages that will at least get you started on this journey toward joy away from sadness, anxiety, or both.

• Psalm 103, 104, 138, 139, 145, 146, 147, 148
• Romans 11:33-36
• John 14
• Job 38-41 (pay special attention to what God is saying)
• James 1:2-5, 12-18
• Ephesians 3:14-21

There are so many more! (for another future blog) Add your own. You can even send me your list or add them in the comments below.

Here is an example from Psalm 147: It is Good to Praise God

In Psalm 147, the psalmist reminds us that it is good to praise God. Praise is both pleasant and beautiful. We take our rightful place alongside all creation to proclaim praise to God for His creative and sustaining work. As we reflect on God’s character and work, we take our rightful position of giving praise to God. God deserves the praise of the universe. As we do this, our focus shifts upward, vertically, and eternally rather than what’s below, horizontally and temporally.

What can I know about my awesome God from this text?

What is praiseworthy about God in Psalm 147?

We ask our question, “What can I know about my awesome God from this text?” What you will find is that the psalmist draws our attention to the many ways God deserves our praise.

• He works providentially in our lives (v. 2).
• He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (v. 3).
• He controls the universe–even to knowing the number of stars and calling them by name (v. 4).
• He is powerful and infinite (v. 5).
• He lifts up the humble and casts down the wicked (v. 6).
• He provides cloud cover and rain, causes grass to grow, and provides food for all of nature, even the ravens whose parents abandon the babies in the nest (vv. 7-9).
• He strengthens nations, blesses children, makes peace, and provides food (vv. 12-14).
• He commands all of nature–the earth obeys Him and runs smoothly, even down to all the expressions of weather patterns (vv. 15-18).
• He takes special delight in His own people (vv. 19-20).

Essentially, God deserves praise for everything. He sustains the world and provides for us. From the weather to God’s provisions for our health, God is active in every part of our day. His fingerprints of grace are on each area of our lives.

Hopefully my list helps you as a good example of what you can do to help yourself focus on the majesty and love of God.

What can you do about sadness in the holidays?

Focus on the majesty and love of God! Take that list of passages and begin to read through them. Read them over and over. Meditate on how they answer the question, “What can I know about my awesome God from this text?” Take a particular verse you find helpful and make yourself a verse card. Write down what you learned on the card. Then, pray similar prayers to those listed above in gratitude, praise, and in dependency upon God’s mercy, grace, and covenant faithfulness.

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