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 All really good suggestions. I mean who doesn’t
have a bit of stress during this time of year?
Yet, this season is supposed to be a time of peace and joyful
celebration. It’s not supposed to be a complicated mess. And it
doesn’t have to be.
God came to save us from this crazy broken world. The message of
Christmas is just that: In Jesus, God showed us the depth of His
heart. There is joy in knowing that He really cares for us. Just as
the Christmas carol declares, “Joy to the world; the Lord has come!”
It’s truly the greatest of all blessings, but it seems to get
drowned out by all the commercial stress, noise, and busyness.
Who has time to reflect on the hope of the season when running from
store to store searching for that perfect gift?
Who has time to experience a “silent and holy night” when you can
barely get enough sleep as you try to keep up with all the programs,
parties, and appointments you have on your calendar?
The reality of this time of year, unfortunately, is that so much of
what the season is meant to be gets stolen by the overwhelming
holiday demands. It can be one of the most difficult times of the
year. But remember when you are at your lowest and at the height of
your stress, that’s when you can see the real reason for this season
– our need for a Savior.
The truth is, we don’t need another product. We definitely don’t
need another task on our to-do list.
We need a Savior! A Savior who can bear the burdens that are too
heavy for us.
We need a Savior who can comfort us in our sadness.
We need a Savior who can strengthen us when stressed and a Savior
who can bring peace into our chaos.
You can have a Savior like that; His Name is Jesus. The Bible says
in Matthew 1:21, “He will save His people from their sins!”
His arrival sends stress scurrying.
His coming puts a halt to the invasion of everything destructive.
Now, that doesn’t mean that everything in this world will be rosy
and bright. What it does mean is the power and promises of God (the
strength and the courage that comes from knowing Him by faith) will
be yours no matter your circumstance!
This is what Paul declared in Romans 8:38-39, “…neither death nor
life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Do you remember Dr. Seuss’, The Grinch that Stole Christmas? The day
after he stole all the Christmas decorations and even food in Who-ville,
the Grinch thought he had won.
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From Mount Crumpit he stood listening for the cries
of disappointment, but what did he hear instead? Singing! Songs of
Christmas joy.
Dr. Seuss then writes:
And the Grinch, with his grinch feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling. “How could it be so?
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes, or bags!”
He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.
Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!
That’s the message of Christmas. More than the stresses, the chaos,
or the pressures that burden, you can have a Savior who laid His
life down so that even when all seems lost and life is in disarray,
you have a reason still to sing!
So, if I could suggest just one solution to help you avoid that
holiday meltdown, it would be this: Call upon the life-giving Savior
today. Let the saving work of Jesus free you from the stress. If you
need a change in your life, turn to Him in faith. Just as the Grinch
experienced real change, real heart transformation, the Christmas
message is that God offers you His heart today in the Person and
work of Jesus. Let Him strengthen your heart with His Word to
overcome the challenges of this life, and let God put your
graced-enlivened heart to work for others.
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