Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. I don’t know about you but I still have
turkey left-overs in my fridge. The
feast was days ago and I can say with full confidence that I don’t want to eat
anymore stuffing for the next eleven months!
You know this time of the year, this holiday season, really
is unlike any other. The stores are not
nearly as crazy at Memorial Day or 4th of July. The demands are more complicated. The preparation is more involved. The stress level can rise and the faith level
can drop.
No other time of the year is as crazy busy as the time from
Thanksgiving to Christmas. And sometimes
we can make it even crazier for
ourselves. While we try to cross off
everything on our holiday to-do lists, we can forget the true meaning of what
we are celebrating. Then… And then! We
feel guilty for not fully grasping everything we are “supposed” to grasp. Did we meaningfully
reflect on God’s goodness to us this past year?! Are we really
ready to receive the most precious gift?! Before you know it, you are
staring at your Christmas tree, exhausted on Christmas night after all the
hubbub of the day wondering, “Did I miss it?
The trueness, the realness, the faithfulness? Did it pass me by this year (again?!)?”
So, how do we do it differently this year? How do we keep this season of gratitude,
wonder, and joy from slipping away? This kind of question, it makes me think of
Ann Voskamp. It reminds me of her words
in “One Thousand Gifts” defining Eucharisteo: “Grace, thanksgiving, joy.”
Since Thanksgiving is still fresh on our minds, let’s start
there. One of the best ways to build
your faith level up is to look back on the year. Think about all of the things God did for you
in 2015. The blessings, the answered
prayers, the encouragement, the little love notes He placed before you each
day.
Now, I know, you are busy.
I’m busy too! There are kids to
get ready for school, work to do, important things. But, there are pockets of time in our days (aside from our "quiet time"); that
we can pause and remember God’s goodness and faithfulness. Those times when you are in the car alone, or
even waiting in line at Wal-Mart (I’ve done it!). And as you remember all those things, thank
God. Thank Him for His faithfulness, His
goodness, His love, and His grace.
“I will remember the
deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will
consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Psalm 77:11-12
(NIV)
“Enter his gates with
thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his
name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness
continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5 (NIV)
As you look back on the year and remember God’s
faithfulness, your stress will decrease.
I promise! You can’t look back on
what God has done for you and still be tense.
Wrapping paper and bows will fade away as you pause and remember and
give thanks. Plus, you know what dear
old Ann has to say about thanksgiving don’t you? It always precedes the
miracle.
In the pausing and giving thanks, our faith swells. As we remember each blessing, a brick in our “wall
of faith” is laid. Plus, the act of thanksgiving
leads us to recall God’s amazing grace. The
great gift of God’s unmerited favor. Who
couldn’t use a reminder of grace during this season?! Burnt the Christmas cookies? Grace. Forgot to wish someone a “Merry Christmas”? Grace.
Toddler has a melt-down in Target? EXTRA grace ; ) My friends, during this season, grace is a
gift we all can use!
And you know, as we bask in the warmth of God’s grace, we
find joy. Isn’t that what we all are striving for this
time of year? To have joy in the
Christmas season? To be overflowing with
joy as worship the miracle we
celebrate each December?
So my encouragement for you this year, this holiday season
of 2015? Well, just as the calendar begins our holiday season with Thanksgiving, we too should begin with thanksgiving! Recall how God has been faithful to you this
year. Allow that to build up your
faith. Then rest in God’s grace. The world’s version of the Christmas season
is going to try to wear you out – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Soak up God’s grace. And then, then my friends, the joy will
come. Your heart will be ready to
welcome the King!
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
Post by: Marcy Gates
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