I don’t mean to seem like Debbie Downer as I wrote about holiday stress last week. But the holidays can be very difficult for many people, so I wanted to write about finding hope during the holidays. If you are experiencing struggles like job loss, marital problems, illness, or loss of a loved one during the holidays, you may not be feeling particularly merry. I was there last year – the first Christmas without my mother. But the Christmas season is all about the one thing we need most: Hope!
Many of us place our hope in other people, our careers, material possessions, the economy, etc. Placing our hope in anything but God is like expecting a tree to grow and flourish in the barren desert. We will be disappointed every time! Why? Because God is the only One who can deliver. He is faithful. He keeps His promises to us. And, friend, He is with you now and always!
Regardless of the ache or the longing, the sorrow or the suffering, you are facing this holiday season, He is the gift you need most. The birth of Jesus was a wondrous occasion that brought hope and healing to the entire world and fully demonstrated God’s care for us.
Here are a few tips to help you find hope if you are struggling this Christmas:
- Know that it’s normal and okay. If you are going through a trial or loss, know that it’s normal to feel sadness and grief. And It’s okay to cry or express your feelings. You can’t force yourself to be happy just because it’s the holiday season.
- Consider volunteering or doing something for someone else. This can help you get your mind off your situation and onto others. And helping others just naturally makes us feel good, and it will make their Christmas brighter.
- Last but certainly not least, spend time reading the Bible and praying. Below are some Scriptures about hope that you can include in your studies:
Jeremiah 29:11 ~ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Romans 15:13 ~ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 12:12 ~ Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Isaiah 40:31 ~ But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Romans 8:24-25 ~ For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
1 Peter 1:3 ~ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Take heart! He loves you more than you can ever imagine. And with Him, you can make it through this difficult season, and any in the future that you may experience. The ultimate hope for our future –
