A word of encouragement for those feeling depressed this Christmas ~ Dotun Fadairo

Good morning dear reader 🙂 and happy holidays. I had a thought this morning and I thought to make this short post. It’s the season that’s characterised by a lot of joy and celebration but despite this, there are a number who are not feeling the joy at all. In fact, this season tends to be the most depressing for them.

And why is that?

Perhaps they look around and all they see doesn’t fit the image of a Christmas worth celebrating. Perhaps they see their financial straits and inability to treat themselves and loved ones as they’d like. Perhaps they see the unfulfilled goals and expectations they came into the year with. Perhaps they see the challenges that have persisted all year long. Perhaps they find themselves alone and with no one to spend the season with. And seeing these things, they feel like failures. Depression weighs heavily and it’s all they can not to scratch off their ears at the sounds of merriment that surrounds them.

Yes, Christmas can be a very very sad time but it not need not be. Dear reader, I do not know if this applies to you but if it does, I counsel you to look at that “image of a Christmas worth celebrating” and it is false. Stay magnificent. Your present life situation might not be what you desire but it is not a statement of your worth and it certainly isn’t the end. Think back to the year and consider all the challenges, you are still here. You are alive and you will make it through. Things will shape up, have confidence in yourself.

As a believer in the Incarnation, I believe that Jesus is a loud declaration of your endless worth. You are the pearl of great price and His putting on human flesh was Him declaring that He is not ashamed to know and feel all that it is to be you. Whether you believe this or not, I plead with you not to look down on yourself or beat yourself up. The goals and expectations you came into the year with, while being good things to work towards are not standards you fall or rise to. You remain sure, whole and wonderfully made.

So this Christmas, chin up love and make the best of the holidays. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to celebrate. Celebration is not in the past and it is not in tomorrow. Celebration is now. Bless you and have a merry Christmas.