A Christmas message for the weary soul

Are you feeling weary this Christmas season?

Wrapped up in stress and anxiety over what to get for those picky people on your list and wondering when you’ll have the time to even wrap said gift?

Wondering why, for some reason, your Christmas joy is nowhere to be found this year?

I had a conversation with someone earlier this week where we talked about the lack of joy they’re feeling this season. They described themselves as feeling almost down in the dumps with the unrealistic expectations we set for ourselves and each other to give the perfect gifts, describing Christmas as a time of “exchanging money” (through gifts) rather than celebrating Christmas for the reason it even exists: the birth of Jesus Christ.

I’m guilty of it too. Spending time online searching “best gifts for the person who has it all” because my creativity is at an all-time low or thinking of gifts that will inspire tears because I love a good tear-jerker moment.

That’s the truth. And I don’t think I’m the only one feeling this way.

We’re at a point now where Christmas has become so commercialized that the reason for the season is nowhere to be found. Every influencer is out there trying to give you the best deals (maybe this is why my Instagram influencing days will be short-lived) and the expectations to host a certain way, dress a certain way, and be a certain way during this season are trumping the only thing we should be doing: celebrating the birth of the coming Savior.

I want to encourage you to take a step back and re-evaluate where you are this Christmas. If your mindset is focused on the material or on the ways you’re not meeting unrealistic expectations, could I encourage you to shut off social media for a couple of days and instead turn to the Word?

You know, the four pillars of the Advent season are hope, peace, joy, and love. This is what we should be focusing on this month and in the days leading up to Christmas:

The hope Jesus’ birth freely gives,

the everlasting peace Jesus offers,

the joy that can only be found in Him and Him alone,

and the never-ending love God gives to the loneliest of persons, especially during this season of Christmas.

I leave you with the story of the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1-14, NKJV), the reason we even celebrate this season. Let this be your focus, not anything else the world tries to distract you with…

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’”

Merry Christmas, friends.