What Do You Do When You’re ‘Blue’?

Ken Williams — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:29:24 +0000

Every now and then, a ‘blue day’ sneaks up on me. Of course, I’d always prefer ‘orange days’ - bright and cheery. They make me feel so much more spiritual, but some days just aren’t orange. When I was younger, I didn’t know how to react to blue days. Sometimes, I’d work harder (but as I got older, that didn’t work so well). Then, I’d try to figure out why I’m blue (that just frustrated me). So then I’d try to figure out what I needed to do to ‘snap out of it’ (that just frustrated me even more!).

I’ve had a ‘blue’ week this week. Just in case you’re a fixer, please don’t send me your suggestions. They frustrate me even more than the ‘snap out of it’ platitudes. It’s kinda funny, but all the little platitudes that I used in my 20′s don’t work anymore.

But here’s what I do when I get blue…

1. Don’t Try to ‘Snap Out of It’. I don’t make these times come and I can’t make them go away. I used to see them as bad… unspiritual, but I don’t anymore. I see them as a gift from God.

2. Slow Down. When I’m having a blue day (or week), I cancel some appointments and slow up my schedule. I can’t cancel everything, but I can reschedule some. God instructed Elijah to slow down when he was ‘blue’. So, I figure that’s some pretty good advice.

3. Pray More. My best prayer times are when I’m blue. (For the record… orange days should also include great prayer times; but for me, they rarely do.) As I pray, I try not to let my prayers digress into a pity party. Instead, I spend time thanking God for the blessings he has given me. This time of gratitude doesn’t make the clouds go away. But it’s very good for my soul.

4. Exercise & Sleep. We miss the importance of exercise and sleep in the Bible. It was a NATURAL part of their DAILY routine. They didn’t have cars, TV’s, or electricity to light the house at night. They slept and exercised WAY MORE more than we do.

5. Spend Time in Activities That Connect Me With God. In my last blog, I talked about how we connect with God. For me, it’s nature and relationships. When I’m blue, I try to increase these times. I have some friends who listen so well. I call them when I’m blue. Platitudes never flow from their mouths. They’re gifts from God. As for nature… The 10 on the Mellish Meter yesterday and today was a gift from God, just for little ole me…

In the end, the ‘blue’ times go away. They’re a phase. But they’re a phase I enjoy and benefit from, rather than dread and ignore.

Join the discussion… What do you do when you have a blue day/week/month? btw… if you include any Christian platitudes in your comment, I may reach through the computer and strangle you. (I’m more feisty when I’m blue. LOL)

West Cobb Church / Ken Williams Blog » depression

What Do You Do When You’re ‘Blue’?