Have you ever had the feeling of being let down—not because someone didn’t live up to your expectations but because something wonderful had come to an end? Think about the feeling of returning to a daily routine after a final musical performance, or after the state soccer tournament, or after nationals for debate. It’s hard to deal with the mundane after focusing on the exciting for so long.

As the holidays wind down, it’s like that for a lot of people. After the chaos, stress and exhilaration of the parties and celebrations, it’s now time to settle back into day-to-day life. No need to cram for finals. No family events to anticipate (or dread, depending on your family!). No fresh start to the new year — for another 364 days. Some folks even struggle with aspects of seasonal disorder, making it more difficult to experience joy during winter’s cold and dreary months.

Highs and lows

Our faith journeys can be like that too. We sometimes experience what are called mountaintop moments when we feel close to God, believe deeply in Jesus, and know the Holy Spirit is with us each day. We also walk through valley experiences when we feel alone, doubtful, and confused. As always, though, we can turn to Scripture and read about faithful people who faced similar challenges and to learn how these biblical examples responded—for better or worse.

What’s next?

Whether the challenge is being lost and wandering in the wilderness for forty years (Exodus 32), realizing that your life must change entirely in order to answer God’s call (Mark 10), or being so scared to move forward that you lock yourself in a room and hide (John 20), God’s response is the same: always faithfulness—even when we are less than faithful.

Question of the day: What will you miss most about the holidays?
Focal scriptures: Exodus 32:1-6; Mark 10:17-31; John 20:19-23; Lamentations 3:21-26

For a complete lesson on this topic visit LinC.