I freely admit that I am prone to getting a little melancholy in the winter time…especially when it has been raining.  What can I say; I’m a California boy at the core.  Bring me the sunshine!

It is very easy to get into a funk (pardon the pun…ok…not really) when it is dark and gloomy and it seems we have not seen the sun for weeks.  There is something about the darkness that makes everything seem smaller, our world less hopeful and my problems much bigger.  I need light!

As a pastor I am probably more likely to hear more pain and tragedy from other people than say a plumber or a CPA.  And that little hangover of being concerned can also affect my mood…I feel for people. 

Anyway, all that to say, that between seasonal sadness and people’s tough times, I sometimes feel like I want to hide or watch hours of mindless T.V….never a good idea.

But here’s the thing – though we sometimes get sad or even discouraged, the one main thing that pulls me through is my connection to God’s Word.  The Bible is such a constant source of strength and insight and it really has a way of improving mood.  Maybe it is the perspective that is gained or maybe it is the insight from beginning to actually understand God’s deep love for us.  I need it…and I mean that. 

Recently at a pastor’s meeting this topic came up.  Of course pastors are supposed to be reading the Bible, but the message that was shared helped me to be reminded of what a treasure it is that we have in God’s word.  I love how the Message translation reads Psalm 119:105: “By Your words I can see where I am going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.”  Wow!

The point of this post is really to challenge you to take another pass at jumping into these wonderful scriptures.  Do it not just out of duty or even forced devotion, but rather do it and discover how illuminating and life-giving (not to mention mood-elevating) it really is.  By God’s words we can see where we are going and they light up our dark (and melancholy?) path with beams of light!