Take a grace inventory. Remind yourself of what God has done in your life. Read Philippians 1:6, 4:4, 4:6 and 4:19.    

3.  Be careful not to get caught up in the worldliness. 

 

1 John 2:15-17 states "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.  During the holiday season if you are buying gifts, ask yourself; how do I show I care without allowing the world of advertising to manipulate my perception and thoughts?  In other words, while shopping keep this thought in mind, if you really need it and can afford it, then buy it; if you don't really need it or can't afford it, don't buy it.  Remember, that during the first of the year when you are out of money, those bills will come due. 


4.  Deal appropriately with loneliness.  Loneliness is feeling isolated and estranged from people. Sometimes people feel lonely because they believe they are different from others or they believe people do not like them. But be careful not to mistake loneliness with being alone.  They are not the same thing. For example, you can be in a crowd with others and still feel lonely; whereas, you can be alone with yourself and not necessarily feel lonely.  I believe that one of the best ways to overcome loneliness is to become a servant.  As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated "Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.  You don't have to have a college degree to serve.  You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love". 


5.  Reconcile Past or Distant Relationships.  It is important to try to live at peace with others and not to hold yourself or others to unrealistic expectations. Faulty expectations, misunderstanding and unforgiveness can cause alienation, break communication, and cause someone to feel they are being mistreated or unjustly accused. Bitterness, resentment, anger and frustration may further aggravate the situation. Unresolved anger, conflict and strife, may result in broken relationships and in some cases, will lead to psychological and physical illness.  


Remember, often times our feelings and thoughts of depression, despair, loneliness or the "blues" will begin to dissipate and lift as we, like Jesus in Gethsemane, persist in prayer.  You must verbalize your feelings honestly to God, and then trust Him to graciously work out the details of your conflict or challenge.