When Your Christmas Isn't Joyful...

Christmas is supposed to be joyful and exciting. The most wonderful time of the year, right? But for many of us, that’s not reality. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, financial strain, ongoing health problems, relational conflict, or whatever else, the weight of life is heavy.

Perhaps you find yourself even more discouraged because no matter what you do, you can’t seem to get that Christmas joy that everyone else appears to have. I've battled that same discouragement this Christmas. Life is not as I would like.

I believe this battle with discouragement is part of living in a broken world, and recognizing that not everything is as wonderful and nostalgic as it was through childhood eyes. We look outward and we see the destruction that sin and the curse causes. We look within and despair at the ongoing sin in us. Everything is messy and hard.

So if you find yourself in that place of discouragement or despair this Christmas, may I offer you hope? The hope that one day Christ will set everything right. One day, there will be no more sin and no more suffering. For those who are believers in Christ, the suffering and sorrow you face today is temporary. Because Emmanuel, God with us, walked among us to conquer sin and death.

Jesus entered your brokenness, and He offers healing and hope for the pain you face today. He is in the process of redeeming your deepest difficulties. Just as Job didn’t understand all his suffering, you may not either, but you can receive mercy and grace for your time of need (Heb. 4:16), comfort for your troubles (2 Cor. 1:4), and hope for your future (1 Pet. 1:3). I don't intend to sound cliche; this is deep truth to anchor on when the storms of life threaten to undo us.

In the meantime, let’s rejoice in the hope that Jesus is with us today, and earnestly pray that the day He reigns and dwells with us eternally will come soon. Come, Lord Jesus!

O Come, Thou King of nations bring
An end to all our suffering
Bid every pain and sorrow cease
And reign now as our Prince of Peace
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come again with us to dwell
O Come O Come Emmanuel, Sovereign Grace

Entering the Darkness

Incarnation. What a stunning word.

The infinite, eternal Jesus humbled Himself in the deepest possible way: He cloaked Himself in human flesh.

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

This is a glorious picture. Jesus "tabernacled" or "dwelt" among us sinful human beings. Jesus willingly endured shameful treatment, wrong accusations, hateful words, rejection, and ultimately, the Father's wrath. He fully entered our brokenness and sinful state to provide redemption.

When I ponder the incredible humility of Jesus, I’m humbled because I don’t always like stepping into others’ lives, bringing loving truth or gentle correction. It’s hard. Bearing burdens, facing hurts, and experiencing rejection is not easy. There are times my flesh wants to run from that.

Yet when I look to Jesus, I wonder that the perfect, all-knowing God would step into my brokenness, foreseeing what He would endure. He had infinitely more reasons to refuse to enter the darkness our sin had brought. Jesus also didn’t receive the approval, the recognition, and the affirmation that often motivate our actions to help others. He didn't demand the love and reverence He deserved. He was worthy of the worship of all, and He didn’t receive it from His own people. In fact, it was the opposite (Jn. 1:11).

But Jesus came. Because of that, we who are believers in Christ have been forgiven and adopted. This is the hope and joy of the incarnation!

"In our longing, in our darkness
Now the light of life has come!
Look to Christ, who condescended
Took on flesh to ransom us."
Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

Ministry is a beautiful, wonderful gift from God. But it is often met with much disappointment, hurt, and heartache. Growing up in a pastor’s family, I had countless opportunities for church and life ministry. It produced a lot of joy. But I also realized that the hardest ministry is often the ministry right in front of you.

It’s the choice to love someone who's hurt you deeply over and over.
It’s sharing the gospel with the neighbor who still hasn’t responded.
It’s using your time to serve others rather than pursue selfish gain or pleasure.
It’s gently speaking truth to someone caught in sin.
It’s sacrificing for your family when you don’t feel like it.
It’s serving your church in an unnoticed role.
It’s reaching out to someone who has rejected you. 
It’s honoring and obeying your parents when they aren’t “worthy” of honor.
It’s loving someone who doesn’t love you back.
It’s looking for ways to encourage the younger Christian who annoys you.
It’s secret giving that blesses others.
It’s forgiving someone when you want to hang on to bitterness.

As much as we would like to think ministry is a walk in the park, the truth is, ministry is hard. People misunderstand you, hurt you, and reject you. That friend you counsel may suddenly ignore your advice and refuse to speak to you. The family member you’ve been working hard to reach out to may never respond. The way you serve in your local church may be met with more criticism than appreciation.

How can you continue to love and minister to others when this happens? It’s much more tempting to become cynical of all ministry and people. One thing I’ve learned is that persevering, sacrificial ministry can’t happen when your hope is in people. Most of my disappointment in ministry has been due to how others have treated me. The people you invest in may turn on you. Someone you care about may sin grievously against you. The people you trusted may prove to be untrustworthy. When people hurt you, the natural temptation is to give up on them out of self-protection.

So when the disappointments of ministry hit, you must put your hope in God. He is the only true Refuge when the brokenness of our world and the sinfulness of our hearts and other people’s swallow us. He has loved you with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3). He pursued you when you hated and rejected Him. He never fails you or gives up on you (Deut. 32:4, 2 Tim. 2:13).

God’s love for us demonstrated in the gospel gives us the motivation to love and minister to others unconditionally. When the reality of life-on-life ministry hits us square in the face and makes us want to live in an isolated cabin for the rest of our lives, we must run back to the cross. That is the only way we can love without growing weary (Heb. 12:3).

So the next time a friend rejects you or you have to forgive someone again, remember that Jesus faced the ultimate rejection and suffering for your sake. Ask God to give you the grace to continue to love and serve those around you, no matter how they respond. Ask God to help you put your hope in Him.

This is where the rubber meets the road in ministry, and while it is never an easy road, it is one that can be met with much joy.

 “If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full.” 
John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life

Hope for the Hard Days

In Psalm 147, we see God’s power and might on display. It speaks of Him as the Healer, the One who numbers the stars, limitless, and our Sustainer. In light of all His power, God does not delight in our might or abilities. Instead, Psalm 147 comments,

“His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor His pleasure in the legs of a man,” (v. 10, ESV) 

What struck me is how much hope this gives for the hard days—the ones that seem like nothing is accomplished and the day was wasted. The days where my limitations are ever before me.

You see, I like accomplishing things. I like serving others and feeling useful. For years I prided myself on what I could accomplish and how helpful I was. And in God’s sovereignty, He humbled me by giving me many limitations. Some days feel wasted in my mind due to my finiteness. Some of the things that I once loved I can’t do as easily, if at all.

But God doesn’t take pleasure in my prideful accomplishments. His values aren’t like mine. While I like to take pleasure in my productivity or usefulness, He takes pleasure in something totally different:

“…but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love.” (v. 11, ESV)

So you and I can be pleasing to the Lord even on those difficult days, not because of what we do, but because of our hope in Him. His pleasure is not what we do, or else we’d have a works-based salvation. It’s based on the finished work of Christ.

This deeply challenges me. Some days limitations feel like a bad thing. But the truth in Psalm 147 is very hopeful, because God can take pleasure in me even on the days where my to-do list is untouched. Because He desires that I fear Him and put my hope in Him more than He wants me to be busy. My joy can be found in Him no matter what my outward circumstances look like on any given day.

Isn’t that encouraging?

Let’s pray that our hope would be in God’s steadfast love.

Originally posted on the Vision of Hope blog.