"How's the weather up there?" asked my friend in Florida. She used to live up here in grey-land and knew what my answer would be.
"I don't want to hear about your weather, thank you."
She chuckled. I cringed.
Grey...grey...grey... I sat on the porch swing bundled up in ten blankets and waited for the sunrise. There wasn't any! Oh, it got lighter, but there was no color on the horizon, no peeks of blue, no ribbon of pink and gold, just varying shades of grey.
The word "blah" sums it up: it's a word used to refer to something boring or without meaningful content, depressing, dull, or unexciting. That describes the weather in Upstate New York this time of the year, and it can bring with it some hard to shake, grey moods.
Do you ever feel spiritually blah? Nothing is particularly shiny or exciting. No new revelations or inspirations . . . just yada, yada . . .blah.
Sometimes it feels like God has moved to the sunshine state and left you languishing in grey-land. (can you tell an artist is writing this?)
Well, after being sick since Christmas, first with a cold, and then the Flu, my prayers have been mostly "Lord, help me breathe." I'm feeling physically better, but my brain is pulling out from under a cloud of cold medicine and too much TV. I've had a four-week diet of Advil, cough syrup, Cupcake Wars, and Project Runway.
"Today's a new day!" I declared, rolling out of bed. Then I looked out the window . . . grey again. In an attempt to ignore the creeping blahs, I settled at the kitchen table with a cup of hot water and lemon, my Bibles, and a notebook. But soon, I found myself in a puddle of despair. Even my quiet time was blah!
Suddenly, 1 Thessalonians came to mind, so I turned there, and in the next few moments, the Lord showed me how to battle my blahs. The first verse I read was, "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith..." (1:2-3)
1. The first thing to remember when battling the blahs - it is always a work of faith. No matter how "grey," and meaningless life can be at times, it is still a walk of faith. Faith that God is in charge. Faith that he is good no matter what. Faith that He is our healer, our encourager, our hope. When we declare those things, it really lifts our spirits.
Paul sent Timothy to encourage the brethren. "...to establish you and encourage you concerning the faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions..." (3:2-3)
2. When you're battling the blahs, it okay to reach out for encouragement. It's not a sign of weakness or spiritual defeat if we ask for help. Sometimes the Lord will surprise us with a phone call or visit from a friend just when we need it, but sometimes we have to reach out. Friends help to remind us of what we already know to be true--but may have temporarily forgotten.
3. When you're battling the blahs, remember there's no reprieve from the battle. Paul, knowing how easy it is to become discouraged, sent Timothy to encourage the brethren. "For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you ..."
It's easy to forget we're in a battle, but we can't let down our guard. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world..." (Ephesians 6:12)
Don't let the blahs overtake you. Don't give up your hope and confidence. Our confidence is not in blue skies, and feeling good, our confidence is in our God who knows and loves us.
An unexpected gust of wind blew Baby Moose's beloved fireman hat tumble-bumping down the road. He thought for sure he'd lost it
for ever. Baby Moose sat in a puddle of despair, convinced his day was ruined. Little did he know the surprise ahead promising to make it the best day ever!
Great for your little ones - click here
Hear what others are saying:
"What a great book an adorable story!!!!!!! Perfect for kids who love to visit the fire station, or who get excited when a fire truck rumbles by." Sharon O.
"This book would make an ideal gift for a preschooler, along with a fireman's hat and a bell. You can feel and hear the excitement of ringing the firetruck's bell!? Shirley P.
"My 4 year old daughter Julia says, 'I like it so much, thank you for this book'. So much fun!!" Terry P.