Christmas time can stir up a lot of emotions. Excitement and Christmas cheer are everywhere. The lights, the music and the decorations bring an underlying sense of joy. Children are counting down the days until they can open gifts and eat cookies!
Not Always Good Cheer
But what do you do when the season also brings a feeling of sadness, loss or disappointment? Maybe this is the first Christmas without a loved one. Maybe Christmas is another victim of COVID and yet another gathering has been cancelled. Even worse, what if it brings on the reality of loneliness in your life. For others, gathering with family may trigger anxiety or anger and bring up old wounds.
What Are Emotions For?
In the book, A Mom’s Guide to Lies Girls Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free Dannah Gresh stated, “God created our emotions to send us messages, and we’re supposed to respond to those signals. When we do, the feeling often departs because it has done its work.” One of my mentors likes to say, “Emotions are indicators not dictators.” But what are we supposed to do when those emotions come up?
As I was listening to K-Love the other day one of the pastors was talking about feelings. He reminded us that “when we have feelings, God responds.” Did you hear that? “When we have feelings, God responds!”
God Responds
God loves to respond to our feelings. He loves to listen. To comfort. To speak truth. Why does like to respond? He loves to respond because He LOVES you and DELIGHTS in you!!
We love because He first loved us! (1 John 4:9)
He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me. (Psalm 18:19)
No matter what you are going through this Christmas season GOD LOVES YOU and DELIGHTS in you. He wants to respond to your every emotion. Talk with Him and allow Him to meet you exactly where you are this holiday season.
We Respond
If Christmas is a joyous time for you, take some time to thank God for all the things you are grateful for this year. Reach out to those around you and share why you are thankful for your relationship with them. Ask God to show you ways to be a blessing to those around you.
If Christmas is a mixed bag of emotions, give yourself permission to work through all those emotions. Talk with God about them. Find a verse in the Bible that speaks truth to the emotion that you are feeling.
When you are feeling alone, God promises to never leave you!
When you are anxious, God promises to calm your fears.
When you are disappointed, God promises to give you hope.
When you are sad, God promises to be close.
God With Us
In Hebrew 13:5-6 God says,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you!”
In Hebrew the word leave means to leave, not to uphold, to let sink. The word forsake means to abandon, desert, to leave in straits, to leave helpless. So you could also read this verse like this…
God has said, “I will always be with you, to uphold you no matter the circumstance. I will not let you be buried in your situation. I promise to stay with you, I will not leave when the going gets tough or leave you in a pickle.”
Isaiah prophesied of the coming of Jesus’ birth. He gave Jesus the name of “Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.” This promise still stands today! So as we enter into Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, stand on the promise that God is with you! That He will never leave! He can handle your emotions. Give yourself permission to take each and every one to God. He wants to comfort, love, and rejoice with you this Christmas Season!
The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). Isaiah 7:14
