Holiday stress is a thing, so don’t act like you’ve had it all together up to now.
Holiday stress grows from things that are supposed to be joyful: Putting up the Christmas tree, the lights (eh…) and peppermint everything! But we know that’s not the case. In fact, we stress ourselves out. We usually end up doing one of the following:
- 1. Stressing out about the bills. We’re shifting to minimum payments on EVERYTHING. Then we stress out about January while it’s still December.
- 2. Not enough money for the gifts you want to buy. We don’t want to come up short on our Christmas shopping goals.
- 3. Getting the house “Christmas ready”. The house isn’t where you want it, and it’s making you mad. In fact, you’re ready to quit and the first week in December hasn’t passed yet.
Here’s what I want you to do: I want you to start your day off with Jesus Christ. I want you to take out some time early in the morning when everyone is sleep and do some reading. I want you to spend some time with Jesus. It’s his season, not Santa’s. Consider this text: Psalm 121 verses 1-2 which reads, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth…” Jesus commands us not to worry because he’s the great provider (Matthew 6:31-32). We can trust God’s words because they are forever (Luke 21:33).
Next, to combat that holiday stress, I want you to write your Christmas list to God. Have some faith. Do you know that Jesus told us that we should ask him for the things we need? He stands by waiting for us to come to him! He knows what you’re trying to do. He knows how you feel this time of year. He wants you to bring your burdens him! (Matthew 21:22). The last thing you should be doing is trying to get it on your own.
Finally, accept God’s response. Maybe it wasn’t meant for your son or daughter to receive that fancy phone this season. Maybe that money needed to go to something else. Whatever the gift, no matter the reason you have or don’t have it, accept the outcome and thank the Lord for what he has provided. Don’t add to your holiday stress by stressing out on a day meant to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior!
Remember, you serve a big God who does so much for you and everyone else. He tends to the environment, he heals the land we use and cleans the air we breathe. It’s important to know that if he can do all these things, he can provide for your Christmas needs (Job 38).
