Authors’s note: This award-winning post was originally published on March 4, 2018.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Th 5:11)

The long, cold winter and gray skies were bringing me down. It seemed winter would never end, and this year my seasonal affective disorder (SAD-an apt acronym if ever there was one) has been triggered more often than in many recent years. The older I get, the more I hate cold weather, which is common of many of us who have SAD. The combination of cold, gray skies, and short days is enough to send me into a spiral of irritability and sadness. I try to keep those feelings to myself so that I won’t damage my relationships, but my friends and family who know me best are aware of how I feel and try to encourage me and talk me through it.

This year, I took steps to alleviate some of the sadness I’ve felt. I listened to music while I worked or read a good mystery novel in the evening. I checked my list of goals to see how many I had met – and ignored the ones I had yet to reach. I wrote regular entries in my gratitude journal, even on days that I had a hard time thinking of something for which to be thankful. On sunny days, I walked outside with Lilly.

I also made an effort to stay in touch with friends by going on lunch dates and attending group functions. I even scheduled a time for a celebration with my friends as an intentional way to focus on positive things. We met at a coffee shop and talked about all the good things that had happened in our lives during the previous month. Hearing about other people’s successes and providing words of encouragement helped steer me toward a more positive attitude. It took the focus off myself. We all enjoyed it so much that we’ve decided to make it a regular event.

One thing I have learned through this is that while I may not be able to control my emotions, I can turn my negative thoughts to God: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor 10:5)

It takes effort to focus on positive things. Because we are surrounded by so much negativity, we must make a special effort to encourage others: “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Heb 3:13) While I can’t change the way I feel, I can focus on Jesus, who helps me to filter these feelings through him. He shows me the blessings I have and how to share them with all those who are in my life.

Dear Jesus, help me focus on you and all the good things you’ve given me when I’m feeling down. Show me how to encourage others who may be going through the same thing. Amen.