Thanks to a pandemic, Christmas just hasn’t been “christmasing” the way we’re all used to. No doubt scaling back our holiday festivities put a huge damper on the season. But maybe we just need a few Christmas reminders to turn our focus from commercial Christmas back to Christ…and ultimately have a “better than expected” Christmas. Here are some reminders we can hold onto when the holiday season seems overwhelming.
I am with You
The Message version translates Isaiah 41:8-10 so beautifully…
“But you, Israel, are my servant. You’re Jacob, my first choice, descendants of my good friend Abraham. I pulled you in from all over the world, called you in from every dark corner of the earth, telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side. I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’ Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.”
We are truly God’s first choice. He takes us from wherever we are and He won’t drop us. Even when the weight of the world and the weight of this season seems to be too much, know He is with you and He handpicked you. He will give you the strength to get through whatever you are going through.
He Will Care for You
Matthew 6:24-34 is one of my life passages. In a time where I had no idea how I would pay rent or afford food, God always showed up and this passage was such a sweet reminder to me. It’s hard to choose a favorite part of this passage, but I love verse 30,
“And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”
I love looking up definitions to words when doing Bible studies and for this verse I searched the meaning of “certainly.” It said: “undoubtedly, definitely, surely, yes, by all means.”
BY ALL MEANS. God is going to do it. He is going to show up and He certainly cares for you. This holiday season would you be reminded of how much you are cared for by your Heavenly Father. He is surely going to care for you. He is going to undoubtedly show up in the place you need it most. All we have to do is have faith that He will.
His Unfailing Love Supports You
The book of Psalms is where I go when I can’t decipher my feelings, but I know I have a lot of them. Psalms is great because, just like us, David had so many emotions and I love how honest he is with God.
“When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy” (Psalm 94:18-19, New International Version).
There is this idea in the church that struggling with our mental health is a sign of ungodliness, but we can see that the man after God’s own heart struggled with anxiety. I also want to address that David didn’t say that his anxiety went away. Just that in it, the Lord brought him joy. In a season where it can take a strain on our mental health, would we be like David and honestly approach God. Would we tell Him we are slipping and allow His unfailing love to support us. And finally, would we choose to have joy despite all that is going on around us.
You Will Have Life More Abundantly
I love the Gospels. Learning and studying how Jesus lived and loved is so powerful. One of my all-time favorite books is John’s Gospel and in it Jesus says this,
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10, New King James Version).
I don’t know about you, but especially after the last couple years, I have really felt the attacks of the enemy. But this verse is such an encouragement to me. We have an abundant life at our fingertips, and we can walk in it if we choose to stay close to the One who gives it to us.
Would these verses be powerful Christmas reminders to you as we approach the holiday season. Lean into the One who created you. He cares for you. He supports you. He loves you. And He came to give you an abundant life. I pray peace over you this season and would it be one that you will remember and cherish for years.
For more powerful Christmas reminders, check out our article containing 5 verses that will help give you strength in hard times.
