Fighting the Waves of Post-Holiday Blues - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - January 22, 2025
"Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 'It’s a ghost,' they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.' 'Lord, if it’s you,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to you on the water.' 'Come,' he said." Matthew 14:25-29 (NIV)
It's been nearly three weeks since New Year's Eve, and I have to ask you some questions: Have you kept your goals and resolutions? Maintained the diet? Stuck with the exercise plan? Run the extra mile? Possessed the extra grace, patience, and kindness you prayed for?
Or have you grown lazy, weary, and fatigued? Is this pace of life too much for you? Do you fight the urge to throw in the towel before the day has even begun? I know I do.
I'm certainly not one to judge, and I'm definitely not one to ask about New Year's resolutions—I rarely make or keep them. But if you're struggling to fight the waves as early as January, might I remind you that you're not alone?
Blue Monday is called the most depressing day of the year for a reason. Falling on the third Monday in January, it's a mix of post-holiday blues, cold weather, financial stress and strain, and unsuccessful New Year's resolutions. January is likewise called Blue Month; a time when people with SAD (seasonal affective disorder) are most heavily impacted by things like anxiety and depression. I'd be lying if I said my husband and I weren't feeling that right about now.
After a rough start to the year, we've found ourselves in many nasty predicaments. Our new dog had two unexpected visits to the ER, we've found toxic mold in our home, and I'm stressed out about finances 8 out of 7 days a week. I've gotten rejected from nearly 15 book publishers, am confused about where the Lord is leading me, and am starting to question my sanity. Even my poor Papa has been in the hospital! Can you relate?
Mental health struggles often feel more significant this time of year—why? The pressure around who or where we thought we'd be by now has started to get to us. The glow of the holiday is gone, leaving us with joy about as muddy as the melted snow outside our windows. As the temperatures continue to drop, we spend more and more time indoors and grow increasingly anxious, depressed, and dysregulated. And yet, there is good news.
In Matthew 14, the disciples are facing their version of Blue Month. I don't know what day of the week it was, but I do know that they were growing restless, anxious, confused, and concerned. Although Jesus showed them how to multiply fish and bread into a meal for 5,000, an eerie night out to sea sent them back to square one in their faith. Have you ever been there? Are you cruising along, doing well, and believing in God's power until a nasty winter weather advisory catches you off guard?
Despite their concern, Jesus comes walking to them on the waves. Not only that, but He tells them to not be afraid and calls them to walk on the water amidst the storm. I picture this much like Jesus asking me to meet him on the highway during a Level 3 snow emergency here in Ohio.
The cool thing about this story is that Peter asked Jesus: "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water," and Jesus said, "Come." Though Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus, he began to sink when he saw the wind and the waves (verse 30). "You of little faith,” Jesus asked him. "Why did you doubt?" (verse 31).
Amidst any chaos, our human tendency is to take our eyes off Jesus and place them on the snowstorm, sea waves, and failed goals at hand. It's easy to step out in faith when the sun is shining, it's a perfect day, and we're motivated with hope. But when the storm picks up, and the waves or snowsqualls of stress, disappointment, and uncertainty crash against us, we, too, can begin to sink.
Today, I can't help but draw a parallel to how many of us are feeling this time of the year. We've set goals, dreamed big, and prayed a lot—and yet, as the winter blues bring negative temperatures, sickness, and setbacks, we find ourselves losing faith, distracted by the waves.
During our most challenging times, I want us to remember that Jesus doesn't just offer peace in the storm; He calls us to trust Him in bold and confident faith. His call to "come" doesn't mean we ignore our circumstances. It means that we present them in authentic transparency to Him and then take a step of faith despite them.
During this Blue Month and every other blue day you face, let us step out of the boat together, clinging to each other and the Lord, fully aware of our circumstances but also fully aware of His promises to us and His presence around us.
Let's pray:
Dear Jesus, you know what it's like to deal with post-holiday blues—the days when our circumstances seem to triumph over who you are and what you've called us to do. Please remind us that even in the waves or snowstorms of life, you call us to come to you. The storms very well may still be there, but your presence is with us. You tell us to take courage and not be afraid. Help us to embrace those words and live fully in the steps of faith we take. We may be fearful, but help us to trust that you will uphold us no matter what. Amen.
Agape, Amber
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If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
