However, once you have a wonderful weekend of worship and friends and all that.....
and then nothing. It is done. It can be kind of depressing for an extravert. But I didn't want to get depressed this year. I was determined to not get depressed. Because, trust me, it is not fun to be depressed.
One of my major problems that I have is that I am always forgetting to read my Bible. don't get me wrong, I love the bible, I believe in it, it really encouraging to me, and I am only hurting myself when I forget. But I do forget.
However, I found this passage, and it was encouraging, because another thing I do when I am depressed is to just plop out if you know what I mean; not busy myself with anything, which incidentally is just about the worst thing you can do when you are depressed.
But you know, it gave me great encouragement to read Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 which says:
9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live;13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.
14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.[a]
God Has given us work for a reason, and he has made the rest of life for a reason; yes Bethlehem revisited is wonderful, but life can still move on with greatness. "To be joyful and to do good as long as they live."
We needn't be depressed just because something great had ended. All we need to to do is make the rest of our life great, to find hope in Christ, and live well.
God already has tomorrow planned out; all we must do it live it.
God bless,
~ Claire R
"...take pleasure in...toil—this is God's gift to man." v. 13 b