Seeking the Light

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”                                               John 8:12

Here we are in early January-S.A.D time. S.A.D. of course stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder, a recognized form of depression that is triggered, or exacerbated, by the decreased amount of light we have this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere.

The symptoms are often subtle, but nonetheless they can be frustrating, and often are superimposed on an already existing depression, making the mood that much worse for the sufferer. Lethargy, increased appetite, (especially for carbohydrates), an increased sense of loss, loss of optimism, irritability, sleep disorders, isolation- the list can go on- are all possible symptoms.  

Most living things tend to move toward light as a source of energy. Of course you have noticed those houseplants that stretch themselves to the sun (phototropism) to get ever ray of sun that they can. Even those nocturnal critters around us need light to produce the energy for their food. However, when one is depressed, it is hard to muster energy to do the things we need to do for health.

From a behavioral /mental health standpoint, I insist that good behavior beats negative thinking. What do I mean by that? We sometimes need to force ourselves to do the things that are good for us. When one is depressed, that is very hard! Yet getting outside and experiencing even low levels of light, especially when exercising, is almost guaranteed to be of benefit.

As I was thinking of this blog, I was struck by the spiritual implications of seeking light. Jesus called himself the light of the world. I see this as both a spiritual and even a physical fact. He was the Creator of light, and he is the sustainer of life. Without light, there is no life.

Seeking the light of truth in Jesus, and seeking the healing light of the sun are almost two sides of the same coin in my reckoning. So, as you seek out the light of the sun (dim as it might be this time of year), remember the maker of the light, and your mood will become lighter as well.

Prayer: Lord, help us see the light in every way possible, Amen