November 3, 2024, was the day most Americans turned their clocks back. We told ourselves we would gain an extra hour of sleep. For many, this was a welcome event. While some were celebrating, others of us were looking forward to March 9, 2025, when daylight would flood our lives again.
When the winter months arrive, you might start feeling a bit off. Your sleeping patterns may change and activities you enjoyed previously, especially outdoors, are just not as pleasurable anymore. If you are experiencing these feelings, you may be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.
Season Affective Disorder, commonly known as SAD or seasonal depression, is a mental health concern for up to 10% of a population depending on their geographic location. Most symptoms begin rearing their ugly heads in the fall and continue through the winter months. For some people, though, the symptoms come on in the spring and summer months.
While anyone can experience seasonal depression, it is more likely to affect women and people who have a family history of mental illness, specifically those who have bipolar disorder. Geographic location also plays a vital role in determining if someone is more likely to experience seasonal depression. The farther from the equator one lives, the higher the chance of seasonal depression affecting them.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is caused by a change in circadian rhythm. The decrease in sunlight in our lives can alter our body’s internal clock. Decreased sunlight can also cause a change in serotonin levels and seasonal change can disrupt the melatonin levels in your body.
Biblical characters like David, Job, Nehemiah, Paul, and others dealt with depression during their lifetimes. During those times when they were feeling down, they all looked to God for encouragement and guidance. Jesus witnessed people struggling with depression and because of His love for them, He desired to encourage them. We can and should look to God to help us too. If He was there for them, surely He will be there for us.
When seasonal depression creeps into your life, the following 10 verses can serve as a reminder of God’s love for you and encourage you to continue getting through each day knowing that God is fighting with you.
1. Lamentations 3:21-24
“Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! I say, ‘The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him.’”
Often when we are in the depths of depression, we feel like there is no hope of digging out of the hole we seem to be in. Lamentations reminds us that we not only have hope, but we have the opportunity each morning to receive God’s mercies.
2. Psalm 34:17-18
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.”
Seasonal depression can make you feel lonely. It can feel like no one understands, but God does! In Psalms we are assured that God hears our pleas and will rescue us from the grips of depression.
3. Psalm 40:1-3
“I waited patiently for the Lord and he turned to me and heard my cry for help. He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure. He puts a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and they will trust in the Lord.”
In the midst of depression, we can feel like there is no way out. Our patience for deliverance runs thin. God will bring us out of the pit we feel we are in. He will set our feet on solid ground. When we feel like our patience is running low and God is not hearing our cries for help, these verses tell us He is hearing our pleas and will bring us through.
4. Psalm 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.”
Psalm 46:1 is a verse that assures us God is with us. In this life we will have struggles, and seasonal depression can be one of those struggles. God is our helper when we feel like we have no one to turn to. When you feel like God has left you, recall this verse to remind you that God is right there with you.
5. Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding, in all your ways know Him and He will make your paths straight.”
Most of us who experience seasonal depression wonder why God would let us go through this horrible time. But we have to trust Him. We have to remember that we cannot understand everything. Lean on the understanding of the One that created you and loves you.
6. Isaiah 43:2
“I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.”
What powerful words to live by! Isaiah 43:2 reminds us that we will face trials in this life. We will pass through the water and walk through fires. When that happens, remember that God is with you. The trials will not consume you.
7. Matthew 11:28
“Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Seasonal depression can make you feel tired and uninterested in everything. Your daily fight to get up and be the person God wants you to be is overwhelming. Lean on the Lord and you will find the rest you need to tackle each moment of each day.
8. John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.”
Most of us want peace in our lives and when we are torn down by seasonal depression, there seems to be no peace. Life gets chaotic because we are trying to not only take care of our daily responsibilities, but we are trying to get our minds to cooperate as well. Peace can be yours, but it can only come from God.
9. Romans 8:39
“Nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Depression can make us feel “less than” in comparison to others. We feel like we are no longer worthy of being loved. The words of Romans 8:39 are a bold statement we can take heart in. God said there is nothing that will separate us from Him, and that includes the effects of seasonal depression.
10. 1 Peter 5:7
“Casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”
Coping with seasonal depression is hard, but these words in Peter are a simple truth that we can stand on. God loves you and wants to give you a joyous life. Just lay all your cares on Him.
Seasonal depression can truly make life difficult. No one asks to be given that burden. Most of us who live with seasonal depression – including myself – just want a life that does not include fatigue, worry, anxiety, and a sense of worthlessness. The truth is that God wants the same thing for us. He has given us the perfect instructions to get through each day. Best of all, He has reminded us that He is with us and will never leave us.
Ashley Hooker is a freelance writer passionate about missions. She has collaborated with mission teams in North Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, West Virginia, and Vermont. Presently, she lives in North Carolina with her husband and two children, where she fulfills roles as a pastor's wife, a dance mom, and a farm girl.
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