How to Get Out of your Funk

Some call it the winter blues. Doctors have given it a diagnosis: Seasonal affective disorder. But I’m a simple minded creature with a simple vocabulary.

I call it a funk.

And it hits me on gloomy days as well as sunny ones, though admittedly less so on sunny days. It can be triggered by a number of things, including a slow driver in front of me, or a rude customer service representative. Sometimes, I don’t even know what causes it. It just shows up and makes itself comfortable in my life.

I try to shake it off, but it’s like a bad habit that’s hard to kick. I turn the Television on to ignore it, and sure enough, there’s always enough trash to minimize my funk, but as soon as the house gets silent again, it’s back.

In the last 3 days I’ve heard about a handful of Bible believing church going folks whose funk has crossed the line into despair. They are staring at death in the face, beckoning it to take them. One has gotten so desperate she tried to take her life but by the mercy of God was spared.

It’s ironic that I just finished reading Job 3 which describes a man who had faced such extreme loss and devastation and was sinking in the pit of despair. In fact in Job 3:11 he goes as far as to say “why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire?”

That’s quite a depressing thought on Monday morning but feelings of despair and hopelessness go as far back as you can imagine. For most of us, our funk may not get to such extreme measures but left unchecked you will find yourself wallowing deeper and deeper in the blues and further and further away from the truth of God’s light.

I’d like to give you some simple ways to get out of your funk today.

1. Get to know the God of hope. Jesus Christ describes himself as the way, the truth and the life. He gives light in the darkness and freedom from sin and shame. If you don’t know Him personally, this is the first step towards hopelessness. You can check out the “Know Christ” tab on this website’s menu.

2. Understand your true purpose in life. So many people get in a funk because of a feeling of uselessness. I believe this sense is even worse if you are single and getting older. Negative thoughts such as “who would even notice if I’m gone” take over your mind. Reject those thoughts and replace them with the truth. The reason you are alive is to bring glory to God. He put you on earth and allowed your specific circumstances for a reason. You do matter to Him, and that’s all that matters.

3. Adjust your expectations. Don’t lower them, just adjust them. So much of our despair happens because life hasn’t turned out like you wanted it to. The job you’re in doesn’t pay you as much as you thought it would, you thought you’d be married by now, or you thought your husband would understand you better. You thought the church you joined would finally be the haven of rest you wanted it to be but you’re lonelier at church than anywhere else. Listen to me: you need an expectation adjustment. Turn your eyes from horizontal living to a vertical perspective. All of your expectations are in God. He is the only one who will meet you in the exact point of need. Life isn’t about getting married and getting rich. It’s about trusting Jesus and living for Him!

4. Get out of your shell. The easiest way to get out of your funk is to get into other people’s lives. Stop waiting for them to reach out to you. Find folks in need and love on them. I know you don’t feel like it right now, but the moment you do it, you will see a change in your entire outlook. I’ve found that the moment I start listening to other people’s problems is the moment I realize mine are miniature in comparison.

5. Meditate intentionally on God’s word. If you’re like me, the days you need God the most happens to be a Bible reading day in Leviticus. You walk away from your quiet time disappointed and in a worse funk than before. Use God’s word intentionally. Think about it this way: if you really need something salty to eat, you can have as much ice cream as you want, you will still crave that bag of potato chips. For a deeper time with God, meditate intentionally on God’s word. Spend more time in the Psalms. Read Lamentations 3 again and again. Do a word search on hope. Be smart in your Bible reading!

6. Seek help. The truth is that there are times where you just need to get some external perspective on your life. Find a good Christian counselor in your town and make an appointment if you need to. The longer you wait to get help the worse the problem gets. Believe me, I know. I see folks at their worst in the ER simply because they waited too long to show up. Don’t be guilty of the same!

In Job 4:6 one of Job’s friends says this to him: “Is not your fear of God your confidence?”

Yes, it is. God loves you and He is for you.

Get out of your funk today.

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