“Dead Battery Syndrome” was a phrase I learned in the mental health field. It was meant as a euphemism for folks running on empty. It describes the post-Christmas blahs, the feeling of despair when Christmas credit card bills finally come in, and the “I’m sick of winter” feeling that generally comes with February, also known as “cabin fever”, the frustration of failed New Year’s resolutions, the dread of another year without the presence of a dear one, or just simply the let down after the high of a busy season. Whatever the reason for the “syndrome” it’s effect was plain. People looked and felt like they were running on empty.
John Maxwell, Pastor, Author and leader in the field of Leadership Development once wrote a short meditation based on the story of the Wise Men who came from the east to find the baby Jesus. The gist of his meditation is that many of us, like the Wise Men begin our respective journeys following a star but end up at a stable. We have grand hopes and dreams and then experience a letdown. The Wise Men were not expecting a stable. They even stopped at the palace of Herod to inquire where the Baby King was. They brought presents fit for a king, Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Clearly they had serious expectations, they were prepared for encountering someone whose importance would be expressed on a grand scale.
Like the Wise Men, we too find ourselves confronted in this life with stable like experiences. We follow our star and imagine the best only to find that reality has a way of tempering our expectations.
Perhaps your star for this year is starting a new business, or getting married, or graduating with honors, or just graduating, or finding a better job, or starting a family, or healing some broken relationships. Whatever our aspirations and expectations we can choose to respond like the Wise Men of the Christmas Story despite our actual real life circumstances. The Wise Men could have left the place where they found Mary and Jesus and said, “forget this!” They could have decided that Herod or some other political figure might make better use of their gifts. What they actually did was to give what they had intended to give all along. They were true to the desires they held in their hearts from the start. They did not give up.
So while this particular part of the year may be threatening to get the best of you, and you feel like you are running on empty you may as the Wise Men did, continue to do what you intended to do from the outset. The awesome truth of having God as our guide in our life’s journey is that while ours may well be an uphill battle we are told we will have the juice needed to get where God wants us to be. My life’s path has not always taken me where I thought it should, but God has always accompanied me on the way and usually as was the case with the wise men, I end up seeing GOD, (JESUS) in the strangest places. May God not only give the juice you need for this year but may he give you the eyes of faith to see him in the unexpected.
Kasey VanderVeen – Pastor
Good News Fellowship
Winnipeg MB