I’m not sure about you, but when those long, cold days of winter set in, I can find myself feeling a little blue. Here in Canada, sometimes many days go by where the temperatures are below freezing and we rarely see the sun. It’s a very real thing. The local library has special heat therapy lamps for people to sit under for this very purpose. For me, as a believer, I know my hope and joy are in the Lord so I have compiled a list of bible verses to help with winter depression.

Starting the Morning off Right

Mornings are especially cold and it may fee like a chore to get out of bed. Taking time to get yourself in a positive mindset so you can focus on the bible verses for winter depression are so important. So, a few tips I have for you would be these:

• Put your Bible on your night stand so its easily accessible so you can stay in bed to read.
• Pray before you get up. God will give you His joy and peace.
• Have some warm socks, a sweater, or blanket nearby ready to grab.
• Plan a morning walk or exercise.
• Text a friend who is encouraging to keep in touch with others.

Bible Verses for Winter Depression

Ways to Meditate on God’s Word All Day

The great thing about God’s word is that it has answers for everything we may face in life. Depression is no exception. We see great men like David, Job, and the prophet Elijah call on God in moments of despair and anxiety. These verses give us hope, joy, and a reminder that the Lord is with us. Mark them in your Bible, write them down, or highlight them in your Bible App.

• Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 NIV

• When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17-18 NIV

• Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11 NIV

• Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

• So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 NIV

• Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NIV

• The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 NIV

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

• Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 NIV

• Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:7-8 NIV

Prayer Points from Bible Verses during Winter Depression

Prayer is our life line to our Heavenly Father. It is so important especially during times of discouragement. I am going to lead you through a simple format of prayer that you can use with any bible verses while dealing with winter depression. You can of course use my prayer points and prompts but make it your own to cry out to the Lord for help.

We will use the acronym P.R.A.Y. Praise. Repent. Ask. Yield. And, Proverbs 3:5-6 will be our verse to work from for this sample: “Trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Praise God

Remembering what a great God we serve and counting our blessings improves our mindset so much. Look at our verse. There are a few attributes of God that are praiseworthy here: God, you are trustworthy, giver of wisdom, and able to make my paths straight. I praise you!

Praising God in Difficult Times

Be sure to list all of the ways that you are thankful to God as well. Thank you God for life, for salvation, and for hope in You. Thank you that when I acknowledge you in all things that you give me understanding.

Repent of Sins

Sometimes we look at the “do nots” in scripture and think we are good but forget that we are sinning when we fail to act on the “dos” as well. This verse has both. The command to “trust the Lord with all of your heart” and “in all your ways to acknowledge Him.” And then, “do not lean on your own understanding.”

• God, forgive me when I don’t trust you with all my heart but lean on my own understanding. I know that You word and Your way is best.

• God, I ask for forgiveness when I don’t acknowledge you in all my ways. I forget you are there or I just set about to do things my own way or in my own strength. Make me reliant on Your presence.

Ask of God

God is our perfect Father and encourages us to come to Him with our requests and needs. Here are some prayer prompts based on Proverbs 3:5-6.

• Heavenly Father, I ask that you would help me through the power of Your Spirit to trust you more. Especially, in the area of ___________________.

• Lord, bring to my mind your scriptures often so that I don’t lean on my own understanding but always rely on the truth of Your word.

One other thing I would encourage you to do during a time of depression is to pray for others. It is always good to be able to focus on something other than ourselves. Maybe you know some one else who struggles and you can pray over them.

Yield to God

“…in all of your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” When we yield to God, we submit to His Lordship over our lives. Basically, saying, I know You know better. Here are some prayer prompts to close your time of prayer.

• God, I acknowledge that Your ways are best. Today, I will focus on that truth before going back to old habits like______________.

• God, I need you to do a transformation in my heart and mind. Today, I will meditate on this verse so I know You and Your word more.

Christmas Bible Verses

Encouragement for Those Suffering Winter Depression

The good news is that the Bible promises that God is for us. He wants to be our help and hope in time of trouble and suffering. We can rest on Him for comfort. And, we can use what He teaches us to comfort others, which is the whole point of this post. I pray it has been encouraging to you friend.

We can also remember that everything has its season so before long, we will see the beautiful promises of spring and then feel the warmth of summer. And, the better we can prepare ourselves for the next winter, the more we will rely on God and His promises.

Lastly, we can remember that God’s word is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We can trust His promises to be with us and to grow us through these seasons. The more we trust Him and see Him work and change us, the more encouragement we have to let Him be our strength in these time of weakness.

One final note, if you depression goes beyond the season, or if you have thoughts of harming yourself or others, please get professional help. Please don’t suffer alone. You can find more information here: Get Help Now