A Prayer for Renewal during the Long Days of Winter
By: Amanda Idleman
Bible Reading: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. - Romans 15:13
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The winter can be a tough time of year for our mental health. Every year I feel like by the end of February I am nearing the end of my mental rope. We are all thrown back into the grind after holiday fun, the weather is dreary, and life can just feel desolate. There is a lot of truth to the reality that our mental health is impacted by the seasons.
I’ve learned over the years that there are some great ways we can help guard ourselves against the winter blues. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” Taking care of our minds and bodies is an important part of our faith. God wants us to be good stewards of the bodies he has given us. He desires for us to live joy-filled lives and a huge part of living joyfully depends on us being good caretakers of our minds and bodies.
Move Your Body Regularly
There is life-giving power in the simple act of regular, intentional movement of your body. This doesn't mean you have to join a CrossFit gym, unless you are into that kind of thing, all it takes is 15 minutes a day of running or walking to reduce your risk of depression! That could be as simple as waking up 30 minutes earlier to grab a walk around the block before you start the day.
God has designed physical activity as a way to release mood boosting endorphins. We can honor our bodies and his design by being intentional with our activity levels.
Schedule a Winter Retreat
Building an annual retreat for Sabbath is a beautiful way to honor God’s model that embraces rhythms of work and then rest. We have found that scheduling this retreat in the winter really helps boost the mood of everyone in our house during these sometimes difficult months. I personally love going to the beach in January or February because there isn’t much to do other than enjoy the beauty of God’s creation and get cozy together. This trip usually looks like time to nap, play games, read books, bake, watch movies, take walks, enjoy the sunset, and move slowly together without the pressures of being home as a family. Find a place or block out some time to unwind over the winter so your weary soul can find joy.
Focus on Nutrition
Our bodies need to be nourished well to be joyful! On these darker days, we are getting less Vitamin D, which leads to more illness and makes us more susceptible to depression. Boost those levels and keep your body well by feeding it well. The holidays are full of reasons for treats, sugar, and heavy foods. Maybe change the tradition a bit to include meals that keep the body healthy. Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet incorporating lots of whole foods has been found to be associated with reduced odds of experiencing depressive episodes. The connection between our gut and our mind is one that we cannot ignore. Nurturing our stomachs has a huge impact on our mental well-being.
God promises to fill us with hope and joy! When we partner with practices that honor the needs of our bodies as well as keep our minds focused on Him and his Word we can live joyfully. I pray you feel him near in every season.
Let’s Pray
God, be near me this winter. Renew my mind and body as I feel the grayness of the season heavily on my soul. Fill me with wisdom so I am able to best care for my mind and body. Give me the tools and strength I need to cultivate healthy rhythms of movement, rest, and nourishment in my life. Grow in me an holy anticipation for the beauty that will spring forth as the seasons change. Amen.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Mira Kemppainen
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