The holiday season is full of commercials and ads of happy people. Christmas parties at the job, the church, and with friends. Everywhere you go, the automatic response seems to be Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. It seems that right now, everything and everyone wants us to be in a cheerful mood.
What if we are not?
What if we aren’t in the holiday spirit? We aren’t feeling festive.
The holidays may not be the same because perhaps our money is telling jokes, and we cannot afford to make those around us happy with gifts. Or, maybe you have lost someone close to you, and the season feels empty. There are many reasons holidays do not feel merry & bright, but dark and heavy.
So, that’s it then? Just get through it? Struggle until January?
“And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’.” Matthew 1:21-23
We celebrate Christmas as a reminder of the birth of our Savior, Jesus. This story is presented as a beautiful birth; however, if you consider everything that happened, it’s actually a pretty harrowing story. Looking at the circumstances surrounding this celebratory occasion, there is a message for those of us staring at Christmas like “Ugghh.”
First, Joseph’s fiancée was pregnant with a child conceived by God, not him. Talk about pressure! The weight of responsibility, I am sure, was immense. Next, Mary had to travel, while pregnant, for a census, and wound up going into labor away from home and the women around her to help her. Let’s not forget that she was not even in a house, but in a stable. Lastly, Herod, paranoid about his birth, put a hit out on him, so days after Jesus was born, they were on the road again to Egypt, escaping a death plot. Matthew 2
That doesn’t sound like a great Christmas story…But it is the Christmas story. It is the part no one wants to talk about.
For some, Christmas is about a beautiful baby born to save the world. However, for others, Christmas is about what it took to bring Jesus into this world. Both are worth celebrating!
For those who are struggling to find the light, look up. A Star is leading you to the Savior who was born under challenging circumstances.
What can we learn from Joseph and Mary? Make the best of it.
Joseph had to take his new and pregnant wife to his hometown for a sensus. King Herod wanted whoever this Messiah was to be dead. Joseph sought God and was given a strategy on how to protect his family. He trusted God, and this saved him, Mary, and Jesus.
So if you are struggling with how to make it through the holidays, seek the wisdom of God and trust him enough to do or go where he sends.
Mary was in labor away from her female friends and family, but she had Joseph.
If you are missing someone close to you who would make the holidays special, you may not have them; however, there is someone God has placed in your life whom you can share the holidays with. It is not disrespectful to have fun even when you are grieving. Go to the party, invite people over, and call and ask to be included this year. You may not feel like it at first, but community has a way of bringing healing.
Despite being in Joseph’s hometown, all that was available the night Mary went into labor was a stable, not a home, a hotel, or even a spare room. There is no record of midwifes who offered to help. So, on their own, they swept out the animal droppings, laid fresh hay in a feeding trough and on the floor, and brought their son into the world.
If the hand you are dealt this season is less than ideal, make the best of it. It does not have to be perfect for it to be good. Things may not look like a holiday commercial or a Hallmark movie, but it is what you make it.
At any point in the Christmas story, had Mary or Joseph decided to give up, we would not have gotten to the good part.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:9-12
Whatever you are facing this season that seems to be stealing your joy. Remember, it does not have to be perfect to be good. Who do you have that will help you sweep the dung out and set a place for joy to enter?
Christmas will be what you make it… so make it happy… anyway.
This One’s For You
This week’s devotional touched a tender spot for me.
The truth is… the first Christmas wasn’t shiny or picture-perfect either. And yet, God is right there in every imperfect detail.
To help you go deeper, I created a FREE Casebook just for our Substack community.
Inside you’ll find:
The complete devotional + A space to process what this season really feels like — not just what it “should” be
💛 It’s free! So feel free to share with others this season!
If the holidays feel heavy or complicated, this Casebook is your invitation to slow down, breathe, and let God meet you exactly where you are.
Your Casebook is waiting in my Linktree.
