Hello There Friend! Grace and peace to you this Advent Season
I first want to ask....
Where is your heart, mind and soul as we are now officially in the midst of the holiday season?
Maybe you'd rather push away and stuff down your current overwhelm to make room for the Christmas decor and holiday traditions?
Or maybe there is a part of you that struggles to feel the hope, peace, joy, and love so beautifully and "wonderfully" packaged in our present day church Christmas message?
Are you carrying hurt, loss, or brokenness that presses in so heavy that it feels hard to allow the joyful message of Christmas to break through?
The good news is you're NOT alone!
I have been in all those place at one time or another and here I am again fighting to find REST in the true message of Christmas once again.
I'm super excited to bringing you a very special devotional today that will challenge you to do that very thing......REST in the true miracle of Christmas. And my payer is that it will refresh your heart and soul with the true meaning of Christmas found in the message of HOPE; the now possible redemption through Jesus’ birth, life, and death on the cross.
The hope that brings peace in the midst of chaos.
The hope that brings light to the dark places of our pain.
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Finding the Miracle Beneath the “Magic” of Christmas
"It’s the most wonderful time of year!"
We’ll hear this lyric over and over throughout the Christmas season, alluding to the idea that Christmas is a “magical time” filled with joy, “good cheer” and “hearts glowing”. Our stores are filled with glitter and sparkle. We even adorn our churches with lights and beautiful glowing decor.
But, what if you struggle to feel the hope, peace, joy, and love so beautifully and "wonderfully" packaged in our present day church Christmas message?
What if your hurt, loss, or brokenness is pressing in so heavy that even the joyful message of Christmas can't seem to break through?
How are you approaching this holiday season?
Are you pushing away and stuffing down overwhelming circumstances in your life to make room for the Christmas decor and holiday traditions?
Are you shoving aside your adversity, heartache, or pain for the sake of celebrating with "Glad Tidings", singing "Joy to the world" even though your heart is heavy and burdened ? Way too often we put so much pressure on ourselves to meet others expectations of what it means to celebrate Christmas and the birth of Christ.
I don’t believe that God wants us to stuff down our hurts and struggles in order to create a facade — the mere appearance of celebration and "magic" of the season.
Sometimes when a cloud of heartache looms....
...not even the nostalgia of seasonal family traditions can lift it.
...not even the lure of twinkling lights and grandness of tall pines decorated with pretty mementos can lift it.
...not even smells of citrus and cinnamon wafting through the house can lift it.
...not even the gatherings of friends with the warmth of hot cocoa and sweetness of sugar cookies can lift it.
...not even programs performed and sweet sounds of carols sung by the precious children can lift it.
Even as a Christ follower, sometimes, overwhelm of life circumstances, a strained or broken relationship, a loss of someone close, a battle with disease or health challenges, a deep-seeded contention with self-worth, or a conflict with past decisions can leave us feeling lost in the shadows, especially during the holiday season.
I don't know exactly what might be weighing your heart down right now. But maybe—on top of everything else—you fear of ruining “the most wonderful time of year”?
What if we take off the sparkly rose-colored glasses and really look at the Christmas story?
THIS is the story that we can put our true hope into.
THIS is what shines light into those shadowy places!
Let's prepare our hearts with HOPE.
The true meaning of Christmas is found in the message of HOPE; the now possible redemption through Jesus’ birth, life, and death on the cross. Faith in this truth alone is what brings light to the dark places of our pain.
Jesus is and always has been king, but he stepped down from his throne in heaven and was born in human flesh arriving as a helpless infant.
As we see the life of Jesus unfold into his time of ministry, we realize he does not gravitate to the religious but to the ordinary, the outcast, the sinful, the sick, and the needy.
I'm here to remind you that YOU are exactly who Jesus was born for.
Jesus came for you and me and the heaviness we all carry.
I'm here to tell you that GOD SEES YOU, right where you are!
Scripture assures you that you are never alone in your struggles.
Psalm 34:18-20, 22 (ESV) assures you,
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. … The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.”
And Proverbs 15:3 says,
" The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good" which means that He sees us and he hears our cries.
It is because he knows our need for redemption that he sent his only son to be born.
It is this reason of redemption that we celebrate the season of Christmas.
Friend, do not lose sight of this:
Jesus was born for each of one of us- the broken.
I encourage you, as we journey our way through this advent season, to journal and lament: express your grief, sorrow, and/or regret, to The God Who Sees You. Don't be afraid to sit with those feelings; God is okay with whatever you are feeling. One of the most precious gifts of Christmas is that we can be REAL in the presence of Jesus!
Wait expectantly for His response. This is where you will find peace in this season.
Because Jesus was born for the broken.
Download a PDF version of this devotional
BORN FOR THE BROKEN PDF (2).pdf
Reflection:
- What hurts, heart wounds, life circumstances, and/or adversities are you experiencing (or have you experienced) that keep you from feeling the full joy of this season of celebration?
- How read Proverbs 15:3, Psalm 51: 17, Psalm 34: 18- 20, 22, Psalm 147:3-6 How do the truths in these scriptures influence your feelings about facing the hurts and struggles you’re facing?
- How do you see the story of Jesus' birth differently, knowing that God sees your heart wounds, pain, and struggles?