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