Germany and its World War I allies began the practice on April 30, 1916, as a way to conserve coal. America soon followed suit.

When I was a child, I relished the extra daylight hours that Daylight Saving Time provided. There was more time to play outside with my friends. But in the fall, I loathed the long hours of darkness.

As an adult, the "falling back one hour" — along with the decreased amount of light — often leads me and hundreds of others into a gloomy and sometimes depressed mood that physicians have labelled the "winter blues", and in its more severe form, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). I find myself out of energy and struggling to make it through the day. My body craves more light, more vigour.

David knew nothing about DST or SAD, but he did know a little about being down in the dumps.

Psalm 40:1-2 – I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. (NLT)

Practical advice for fighting SAD includes having a well-lit home during the winter months and going outside on warm days to soak up sunshine. A light box or fluorescent lights are also good investments. In more serious cases, physicians can prescribe anti-depressants.

But any or all of the above should be combined with letting more of the Son in. I can flood my soul with spiritual exercises just as I flood my home with artificial light. As I sit by the bright lights, I can read and meditate on God's Word, journal my thoughts, reflect on how God has met my needs in the past and in the present, and praise Him for all the good things in life.

Don't let Satan tempt you to fall under when all you've really done is fall back.

Prayer: Merciful Father, when the blues set in, encourage us to trust You to drive them away. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
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