It is a Saturday evening in September, and I am tired in body, heart, and soul. The last few weeks have been rather melancholy and sorrowful. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary has happened, but these last nights I’ve felt dissatisfied and lonely. More often than not I deal with it in my normal way of listening to music, writing, or wandering around outside beneath the stars and praying.
To be honest, I thought nothing much of the state of my heart until a few nights ago when I was talking with a friend and he mentioned that he had been feeling lonely and dissatisfied for the last week or two. His comment struck my memory and reminded me that our youth pastor’s wife had told me last year that her and her husband Andy experienced a similar thing almost every September/October. I talked with her this morning and she confirmed that the last month or so has been rough for them, and as I thought back to this time last year I recall my state of heart being much like it is now.
What they am I to think? My first reaction is to wonder if this is not some sort of spiritual warfare, for surely such frustration and weariness cripples our love and 
joy for the Lord, a thing which Satan would take great delight in. I would very much like to hear from other Christians and know their experiences and thoughts. (By all means, leave your comments on this post!)
Whether it is direct spiritual warfare or mere coincidence or something else, the question to be asked is, what are we to do when times like this come? How do we continue in love, joy, peace, and faith when our emotions are far from those things? The answer, as is always true, is found in the Scripture.
In short, fight! Do not allow your emotions to control you; instead, preach the truth of scripture to your heart and soul. The Psalmist exemplifies this in Psalm 42 when he tells his soul, “Hope in God, for I shall again praise him” in the midst of a dark time. Read and memorize the Lord’s words and minister to yourself in times of need. Christ spoke that we might have fullness of joy (John 15:11), read and know those words so that they might have their intended affect.
Secondly, pray! Cast yourself upon God. Does trouble come near? Do you feel weak? Pray! Pray! Again, the Psalms declare, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you,” (Psalm 55:22) and Peter echoes, saying, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7)
And thirdly, open yourself to fellow believers. Be not afraid of appearing weak or moody or foolish. God’s people are to be a band of brethren who shall uphold and encourage those who are in need. Are you tired and frustrated with this life? Share openly with those the Lord has placed in your life and you shall find wondrous companionship. Paul talks in Romans, as well as in his other letters, of being “mutually encouraged” (Romans 1:11) by other Christians. Be like him in this regard, giving and receiving of the grace that God has shed abroad among his people.
So I’m not sure if it’s some backhanded attack of Satan to drag down on the hearts of believers whom I know as we transition from summer into fall, but I am confident in what I will do to combat these wayward emotions. I hope that you do the same. Create a strategy to overcome your own wayward heart, and carry it out. Over time God will work in amazing ways to align your heart with his. You won’t regret it!
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