The holiday season has arrived! Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day are some of the best holidays we celebrate. Some describe it as the most wonderful time of the year!
Nevertheless, those of us in student ministry know how busy this season is. Parties, choir musicals, Christmas concerts, dinners and other events seem to take up almost every evening in December. For many, the holiday season has become a time of depression, loneliness and sadness. It is so common that it’s often referred to as the “holiday blues.” This can be caused by a hectic schedule, poor diet, unrealistic expectations and grief.
Maybe you’ve found yourself there. As pastors, it can be difficult to talk about our mental health struggles. Yet, I believe the prophecy of the coming Messiah speaks to these issues in a real way. Four main factors cause the majority of anxiety and depression.
Pain and Suffering:
Many reading this article are dealing with a trial or a difficulty. You are suffering emotionally. You are dealing with something physically. Maybe you are experiencing grief, a situation at the church, a family issue, infertility or loneliness. Maybe you are wondering how you are going to make it through this holiday season. You are wondering if you will find any comfort. Through it all, focus on the goodness of God. Because He is so good. Isaiah 9:6 promises He is a Wonderful Counselor and an Everlasting Father. God is wonderful. When the trials of life come, when the suffering is unbearable, focus on God’s goodness. Tim Keller, in the middle of a cancer battle, stated it this way, “If there is a God great enough to merit your anger over the suffering you witness or endure, then there is a God great enough to have reasons for allowing it that you can’t detect.”
Insufficiency:
Have you ever felt insufficient, incapable or inadequate? There are some days I look at my student ministry calling, what it entails, the tasks at hand, and I think, “There is no way I can do this.” I look at the ministries of others and feel like I don’t measure up. I am tempted to believe that I am failing my students. Maybe you’ve thought the same. Maybe you’ve felt like you’ll never be able to measure up as a parent, you’ll never achieve the things you have always wanted or you’ll never be the person your family needs. When you are tempted to believe these lies, focus on God’s omnipotence. He is all-powerful! Isaiah says that He is the Mighty God. He is powerful; He can do anything and everything. And, through the Spirit, you can access His strength. God will supply everything you need. He will provide whatever you need to fulfill the calling He has given you. Don’t look at what you cannot do; look at what God can do.
Uncertainty:
Do you ever feel like things are out of control? Are you apprehensive about the future? Ministers face uncertainty all the time, wondering if anyone will show up for the big event, if our message will resonate or if we’re making the right decisions. In a world of uncertainty, God is the one certainty. He is the only constant and stable thing in the universe. Focus on His omniscience – He is all-knowing. Isaiah says He is the Prince of Peace. You can have peace resting in the fact that God knows everything. He knows what will happen tomorrow. He sees your struggles. He knows all things. Does that fact bring you peace? Do not worry about the future. What you do today is shaped by what you believe about tomorrow. Do you believe that God is sovereign? Do you know that He is in control? Do you trust He is taking care of you? Let those facts bring you peace. You may not know what tomorrow brings, but you know who does!
Loneliness:
As ministers, we know this emotion all too well. It’s hard to have close friendships in the church. Sometimes, we think no one really understands what we are facing. Do you feel alone? Forgotten? Abandoned? Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV) states, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Immanuel means God with us! In your loneliness, focus on His omnipresence. Jesus is God-incarnate, God in the flesh. You serve a God who is always with you no matter the circumstances. He is with you when things are at their best and when things are at their worst. He is with you in your highs and in your lows. He is with you when you are excited and when you are depressed. He is with you on the mountaintops and on the days you feel like you can carry on no longer. No matter what, you will never be alone.
During the holiday season, and even beyond, trust God. If you’re struggling mentally, remember that Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. He is Immanuel. Do not believe everything you think and think everything you believe.
Do not believe everything you think. Our thoughts are of mixed values. Some thoughts are awesome and right. Many are unhelpful and inaccurate. Take captive every thought. Just because you think something does not mean it is a reality. When you doubt God, His care or His love, when you are tempted to be bitter, to look outside of God for satisfaction, or to worry, you can focus on your doubts, or you can focus on the truth. So, think on everything you believe. Remind yourself of the Gospel, Biblical truth and God’s promises. Turn your head knowledge into heart knowledge.
The birth of Jesus turns hopelessness into hopefulness, anxiety into peace, depression into delight, grief into expectation, sorrow into joy and death into life. Isaiah shows us that Christmas is for the broken. It’s not just “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,” but also those who are weary, leery and defeated. As the song says, “Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”
Jon LaMarque serves as student minister at Coosada Baptist Church, Coosada, Alabama.
