So it’s Christmas. That means lots of sparkling, outdoor lights, fabulous cookies, and jubilant parties with family and friends. Additionally, since you are a serious Christian this also means that you are feeling deeply pious and brimming over with good cheer.
Not so? Read on.
As a psychologist, I have worked with hundreds of folks who have depression during the Christmas season. The party-line, psychological explanation is that we feel crappy when we realize that our life is nowhere near the artificial, media-induced ideal of Christmas perfection. Add to that a heaping spoonful of family dysfunction and a pinch of financial insecurity and you have yourself a nice dish of yuletide blues.
So is this the last word or is there more? There is definitely more.
The world is whacked at the moment. We are created to love, adore, and worship God the Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. The whole planet should be rocking with joy on Jesus’ birthday; singing His praises and walking in the Light of the Holy Spirit. Instead, mankind’s primary response consists of a distorted, perfunctory nod to Our Savior on His birthday.
If He even gets a nod.
As a Soldier for the Most High, this does not sit well with you. You eat your Christmas cookies and hum your favorite hymns but you remain flat like fizz-free ginger ale. Even Church festivities may not feel the same. You sense that the enemy is intent on taking the pep out of your Christmas step. Do not be dismayed. There is an explanation and a solution.
The knob on the world has taken a decidedly anti-Christian turn. For Christian Americans, our land is increasingly hostile to our religious beliefs. Our own backyard is now different; so Christmas feels different. That is the simple answer. More than ever, your renewal lies in Him and drawing close to His Presence. You are called at this time to retreat into the Heart of Jesus. His Heart is Sacred Ground and will not disappoint. For in the silence of Our Lord’s Beating Heart is the Holy Spirit; who is able to envelop and fortify your very core. Once shored up, you can contend with whatever may come your way this month. Carry on with your usual Christmas routine but take time daily to be alone with Your Savior. Make this a priority and do not compromise.
Lately, in the quiet of my alone time with Jesus, I am gently reminded of the following:
Our Lord’s Birthday foretells of His Second Coming.
I don’t pretend to understand all this. All I know is that Jesus is coming again and He will make right all that is wrong. There will be a day when both Earth and Heaven will be as one. Imagine how Christmas will be celebrated in the New Paradise! Now that is a stunning image to ponder.
May your Christmas Season be blessed as you find your true celebration in the Quiet Sanctuary of the Heart of Jesus.
As always I remain your Comrade in Christ,
Cindy
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Hello. Sorry to hear of your problem! I will look into it but unless you are “following” my blog, I don’t know exactly how to fix this issue. No one has complained to me about this before so I wonder if maybe the glitch is on your end? Really strange is that is a very old post!
Hello there! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group?
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Please let me know. Many thanks
Yes, feel free to share away Cedric. Warm thoughts to you…
We add value to each others’ blogs and lives Cindy, and that’s a good thing. Paul himself said ‘doth not nature itself teach you…’ insisting that we pay attention to the unusual instructor, for the apostles asked quizzingly when they saw the raging sea become a great calm: ‘What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
God is fond of nature, and we should be also. I thought of your position (psycologist) and a rare opportunity you have to reach people who otherwise would be met with no hope or inspiration, good for you.
You may enjoy the essay re. the life a hobo, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts.
There would be no writing here, unless you first provoked the convo!
It’s all good
j
So true. I will come over to your neck of the woods and take a look at your essay. Until then~
Cindy- Here’s a take you may want to consider.
When we read, speak, hear, and ponder Bethlehem (in the context of Christmas), that is a good thing, but truth be told, a babe in a manger threatens no ones conscience, and short circuits the gospel if many stop there. Thankfully many do not stop, but finish the message.
‘Joy to the world!’ yes true, the Lord is come, but ‘let earth receive her king’ is more perfectly understood in the trueness of Calvary, where man hid as it were his face, and God forsook His son; a sight that was terrible yet wonderful.
Bethlehem means the house of bread, and the ‘people of the book’ did not want the bread of life, but nature welcomed the death of the son of God first at the stable with the animals, then at Golgotha’s hill where the light of the world was dimmed.
Belated merry christmas,
jack
Jack…this is beyond beautiful. I read it 3 times. Yes, 3 times, outloud. Your point that nature welcomed the death of the son of God first at the stable with the animals, then at Golgatha’s hill really struck me. Deeply. You seem to have an understanding of the role nature plays in the Passion of Our Lord at a level that begs much closer examination. This fascinates me. Thank you
Cindy,
Your post resonated with me today…Christmas is the celebration of God coming to earth, leaving Heaven to enter this world as a baby. The celebration..the sacrifice. Thank you for this wonderful reminder, and looking forward to His coming again! My post from yesterday, The Gift, talks just about this same thing. Great minds, think alike!
Merry Christmas, my sister!
…and same to you my friend…joy and peace to you and your family.
Beautifully spoken Cindy!
Thank you for your kind words.
Thank you for this. Right on time!
My great pleasure Rebekah~