And so, write I shall!
There comes a time in everyone's life when gray skies affect more than just the physical. A time when gray is an adjective used to describe their whole existence. These times vary in length and appearance depending on the person. Many people don't know what to do to change the cycle of gray. They look for relief in lots of places and try to artificially create sunshine to remove the bleakness.
Gray days may be hard to deal with. They may be frustrating and sap your strength. But, I see gray days as time for reflection. A time to take a deep breath and reevaluate your life and how it is unfolding in front of you. Gray days are good for showing you the vibrant blessings in your life or the little things you miss on a day-to-day basis. Taking time to ponder your life and what it's turning out to look like, is essential for living and growing. Just like the earth needs days of rain and storm to flourish and grow, we need times of gray, bleakness to remind us of the Lord's blessings and to help us progress in growth. Without gray days we would never truly appreciate the glorious, sunny days. In James chapter 1 it says that "...the testing of your faith produces endurance." James is encouraging the Christians going through a dispersion to look at life with joy, knowing that gray days bring growth.
I, for one, know all too well the grip that constant gray (depression) can have on someone. It is something that lingers in the back of my mind and pounces whenever I give it the chance. There are times when I let the gray take over and become apathetic to life and those around me. It is horrible way to live. When I get like that, I lose sight of what James is saying and I choose to stay in my miserable state (which is selfish). It becomes easier to remain in a state of bitterness and gray, than to open my eyes to the beauty around me and the blessings in my life. My heart hardens and it takes a while for the Lord to break me down so I can be built back up. It is painful, yet there are times when I let myself fall into that gray.
What I have done to battle the times of constant gray is to wake up each morning and write down 10 things I am thankful for. The things that fill my list vary from chopping wood to banana nut muffins. :) By focusing my mind on the things I've been blessed with each morning, it helps me refocus when a gray day hits. It gives me something to latch onto when the grip of depression tightens. And, making a list gives me a way to look back on what the Lord has blessed me with through the months.
Having a positive perspective on life helps you look at gray days as a time of growth and progress instead of hinderance.
