Seasonal Affective Disorder

Back in my day we used to call it "cabin fever". Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is defined by the mayo Clinic as "a type of depression that's related to a change of seasons."

The NIMH says that "symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the early spring or summer." In other words, some people just hate winter.

There is another type of "seasonal affective disorder" that no one is talking about. I'll call it RAD. That's short for Rapture Affective Disorder.

RAD is also seasonal. Jesus, the great physician, spoke about the season we will experience in Matthew 24.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door." - Matthew 24:32-33

As the time draws short for the Lord to remove His church from the earth, there will be signs of the season. He said so, again in Matthew 24.

• People will be deceived (verse 4)
• Wars and rumors of wars (verse 6)
• Famines (verse 7)
• Earthquakes (verse 7)

All of these things are happening right now.

Jesus also said that "about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven." And that's where RAD comes in.

We see all the signs of His soon return and it's so incredibly hard for us to wait. We begin to become depressed as we watch the world falling apart. And knowing that many of our family members and friends don't believe in Jesus just makes it worse.

We must remember the words of Jesus when He told His disciples, "For many are called but few are chosen." - Matthew 22:14

We who believe in God and His Son, Jesus, will be saved. Yes, it's a sad time, a depressing time, but we must look beyond this world to the next.

The Bible says, "For God has not appoint us to suffer wrath." - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

So let us be patient. Let us continue to share the Good News which we have received. Let us continue to love our neighbors. Then we won't have time to get RAD. We will be too busy doing what God wants us to do. To love one another. As He first loved us.