As a child, Christmas was my favorite holiday. I looked forward to the season all year long, imagining myself cuddled up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa by the fire, watching movies or listening to Christmas music in my coziest pajamas. Most Christmases, we traveled to visit my maternal grandmother and woke up at her house on Christmas morning. My sister and I could hardly sleep as we giggled and considered what might be under the tree for us. Did Santa come? Had we been good enough for him to bring us what we asked for? Why did it take so long for Christmas morning to arrive?
The magic of Christmas drew me in with each passing year—that holly-jolly feeling and the delightful songs I began listening to as soon as there was a chill in the air (typically in October as a Georgia dweller). Something within me longed for peace, not only here on earth as the songs sing about but within my heart.
However, as the Lord grew me in my relationship with him, it wasn’t the magic of Christmas that captured my heart but rather the miracle of Christmas. Yes, I still wanted to listen to Christmas music for an obscene amount of time. Yes, I still watched the cheesy Christmas movies most evenings during December. But as the pain and grief of life’s inevitable trials began to take their toll on me, I anticipated Christmas because I longed for good news.
The Advent season is a time of preparation for our hearts as we celebrate Christ’s first coming and anticipate his second arrival. I didn’t grow up within a church tradition with an emphasis on the Advent season, but in the last several years, the Lord has brought it to my attention as a worthy practice.
When we are young, we are often oblivious to the many complexities of being an adult. Yes, some of us have walked through traumas in childhood and have an understanding of grief and loss at a young age. But most of us would agree that a child’s naïveté is sweet and short-lived.
A few years ago, our family walked through a season full of grief, sorrow, and loss. All the surface-level, holly-jolly feelings were nowhere to be found. The season of loss culminated in a move to a new town at the beginning of December, and I didn’t know how to celebrate Christmas when it felt like our world had been turned upside down. I wondered how to truly enjoy Christmas when my heart felt so heavy. There was so much grief and pain that smiles and hope were not easily found. Everything felt like a fight, and I was in pure survival mode. And yet in that time, I felt like Peter when he said to Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” (John 6:68)
When Christmas feels heavy, we must remember that no season is forever. No matter how dark it seems, the light of Christ’s love is brighter still. The lights are twinkling everywhere as the glow of Christmas surrounds us. But what if the magic of Christmas seems dull this year? Perhaps you’re consumed with grief and sorrow as you consider the many disappointments you’ve endured this year. Maybe you don’t feel holly or jolly and would rather hibernate until the new year comes.
In seasons of sorrow, we must return to the truth of who God is. The Advent season reminds us of why Christ came: to save us from our sins and welcome us into the loving arms of a perfect and gracious heavenly Father. Hundreds of years before the first Christmas morning and the arrival of a sweet and lowly babe in a manger, the prophet Isaiah wrote to tell us of who Christ is:
For to us a child is born,
Isaiah 9:6 ESV
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Let’s take a closer look at this verse. What does it tell us about Jesus?
- He came as a child.
- He was given to us.
- He shoulders the government; it is under his rule.
- He is the Wonderful Counselor, able to help us in times of trouble.
- He is Mighty God, there is nothing too difficult for him.
- He is the Everlasting Father, with no beginning and no end. There is no limit to his love.
- He is the Prince of Peace, with him there is rest, and all fear and anxiety must bow before him.
When we consider the magic of Christmas, we often find ourselves caught up in the external appearances of a “well-celebrated holiday”–the perfect gifts and memories, the right decorations, and the best outfits for the parties and gatherings. But when we consider the miracle of Christmas, our focus shifts to what God is doing in our hearts. Do you trust him? Can you rest in knowing that even though life is hard and heavy, he is Immanuel, always with you (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)? If life feels heavy for you, friend, know that you’re not alone. You are held in the arms of a loving Father who moved heaven and earth to be with you. He will never leave you or forsake you, and that is the greatest gift you could ever receive.
Application Questions
- How can you focus on who God is instead of the worries and cares of your life? Spend some time thanking God for who he is and what he has done, even if it feels forced. He welcomes honest and humble prayers.
- Does Christmas feel heavy to you this year? Have you given your cares to God and talked with him about your feelings?
Photo credit: Emilee Carpenter
Jessica Mathisen lives just outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and three kids. She is a former elementary school teacher and a lover of people. As a writer and speaker, her passion is to communicate God's love to others through words and relationships. Her favorite things are hanging with her family, eating chips and salsa, and reading good books. You can learn more about her atJessicaNMathisen.com, read her children’s book,No Matter Where I Go, and follow her onInstagram.
