The heart of Christmas: peace for troubled souls
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders,
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)
Christmas is just over a week away — the most wonderful time of the year will be reaching is climax with gifts and gatherings galore, scrumptious goodies, and over-fed stomachs.
Are you excited?
Maybe not as excited as you care to admit. No one wants to wear the title of “Scrooge,” but the truth is that not everyone is excited about Christmas as we are told we ought to be. Perhaps you might be feeling as if you need to keep up the appearance of a joyful participant for the sake of those closest to you.
Contrary to the commercially prescribed holiday emotion of giddy happiness, Christmas can intensify feelings of grief, loss, and sadness at the state of the world. Such thoughts and feelings should not be masked or pushed down for the sake of the holiday.
A much better approach than denial is to be honest with oneself about where you are emotionally and focus on the spiritual centre of the celebration — which is the arrival of the Christ child into the world 2,000 years ago.
Through Jesus, God has promised humanity restoration and ultimate peace. So, try taking some quiet time. Perhaps lighting a candle as a symbolic reminder of light come into a world of darkness. Read the nativity story in the Bible and pray to the one who came into the world for you and for all people.
