allthingspossiblewithchrist

Finding Joy in a Weary Christmas Season

The Christmas season is often called the most wonderful time of the year—a season filled with lights, music, gifts, gatherings, and celebration. Yet for many, this so-called joyful season can feel strangely heavy.

While others seem excited, you may feel tired, overwhelmed, lonely, or simply “not in the Christmas spirit.” If that’s where your heart is this year, you are not alone. Scripture gives voice to those moments when joy feels distant.

Even the First Christmas was Stressful

The night Christ was born was not a scene of glittering perfection. Mary and Joseph were exhausted travelers pushed into a stable because there was no room for them anywhere else (Luke 2:7). The shepherds who first heard the angels’ announcement were working the night shift—ordinary men going through an ordinary routine. ( Luke 2:8). And Jesus entered a world filled with political unrest, hardship, and fear. Joy came to a weary world, not an already joyful one.

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7

Peace for the Brokenhearted

Maybe you feel weariness and stress this season because you are juggling family needs with holiday preparations. Perhaps your life circumstances have changed significantly due to loss, illness, or financial challenges since last Christmas. God sees that. God knows where you are and what you are facing. He meets you where you are. Psalm 34:18 reminds us, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” God does not require you to manufacture joy; He draws near to you in the absence of it.

The Bible never commands us to feel joyful—it commands us to rejoice. The difference is important. Feelings fluctuate based on circumstances. But rejoicing is a choice to turn our eyes toward God, even when emotions are slow to follow.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

Paul was not walking through a marketplace or alongside a scenic river when he wrote these words; he wrote them while in prison. Paul found joy not in his situation but in his Savior.

Remember Him

When joy feels inaccessible, remembering Him becomes an anchor. Psalm 103:2 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

What has God carried you through this year? Where have you seen His faithfulness? Remembering His works softens the hardened soil of the heart for joy to take root again. Gratitude for His presence in the past year clears the negative feelings just enough for His peace to enter our hearts.

The season of Christmas is worthy of celebration, but it may feel demanding and overwhelming when your responsibilities stretch your energy to the breaking point. Taking a short break is what we are asked to do. Jesus invites you, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Rest is not laziness; it is obedience. Close your eyes, take a breath, and look to Him. Your soul needs a moment to breathe so it can hear the quiet whisper of God’s comfort.

Finally, remember that true Christmas joy is not found in emotional cheerfulness—it is found in Christ.

Luke 2:10 says, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

We may not feel joyful twenty-four hours a day. But the good news is that Jesus came for all people: the frazzled, the tired, the drained, and the sad. He brings His joy to us.

If you find yourself joyless this Christmas, lift your eyes to the One who came into a world of darkness to bring everlasting light. Your emotions may shift, but His joy—the joy found only in Him—will hold you steady until your heart can feel His presence.

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Even in the Struggle: Power In Weakness

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

I often struggled with understanding the words in this verse. How can one feel God’s power during times that make us feel so weak, vulnerable, and even afraid?

The challenges of life lately seemed beyond burdensome. My challenges had reached the point I felt I was living a parallel life, one foot in the situation and the other trying to escape it. And while I am blessed because my current world includes people I love, it also contains circumstances I do not like one bit. Does anyone else relate? Can you check any of these boxes? Family worries, financial worries, and challenging role expectations (as a parent, caregiver, or in work roles). If you, too, are facing what seems to be more than your share of challenges, you may have felt puzzled when you first read the Scripture above. Be glad about weaknesses? Really? And the words of the Scripture were said by Paul.

Let’s think about that a moment. Paul. Paul, who met Jesus. Paul, to whom Jesus spoke directly. And even Paul had times of weakness. He wrestled with an unspoken weakness, an unspoken thorn in his side, an unspoken perpetual problem.

Even Paul, the most significant force in spreading Christianity of all time, even Paul had moments of trial. This unspoken misery was present whether he was sitting among his friends talking about Jesus or defending his beliefs before rulers. The weakness was present when he was a free man and when he was in prison, or when he was thrown into a restless ocean on a sinking ship. However, Paul knew that the weakness would ultimately help him become stronger.

Why Does God Allow Weakness?

Why? Because the weakness meant Paul could not do it alone. He had to rely on God to find his strength. He had to trust God in his decisions and outcomes.

We often ask God to take away our pains, weaknesses, or challenges. Even Paul prayed for God to take away the weakness.

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.” 2 Corinthians 12:8

But God’s ways are beyond our understanding, and so it was with Paul. God did not provide the relief Paul asked for. He refused to take away his pain for a reason, and Paul spoke about it in the verse above. He asked God to take the pain away three times. But Paul at last realized that having a weakness increased his faith in God because he was dependent on Him. By being dependent on God, Paul was able to continue on the path God had set before him.

Weakness is Not Failure, It Opens Our Hearts

Thinking of Paul helps me to move forward in my day. I can see the smaller blessings that reinforce my own understanding. I know I have everything I need when I rest in His loving arms. God is here. God is with me. I am not facing these challenges alone. And by acknowledging this, my own faith increases.

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work”. 2 Corinthians 9:8

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Joy in the Furnace

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

It has been well over twenty years since I ran my first marathon. It has been several years since I entered a race for the purpose of running a long distance. Now, I am in the walking stage of my life. But after all these years, I can still hear many of my running friends’ voices in my mind reminding me that while crossing the finish line is a glorious feeling, it is the training that gets you across.

Our lives are much like those memories of training. Now, my struggling and training are not for ribbons, medals, or a tee-shirts with the words “Finisher” in big letters. Now I grapple to find joy in everyday challenges. My trials include things like eating on a restricted diet while watching family and friends devour sugar in every bite, hopping up from the floor with grace (no, I can’t do this anymore!), and helping others whose needs are much greater than my own while putting off my desire to fill my time doing something else.

When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace for not worshipping or acknowledging an idol, those who watched the men being tossed inside the fire expected screams and charred bodies. If the onlookers were expecting a show, they surely got one. Instead of seeing three seared bodies and hearing the cries of death, they witnessed a miracle. There were not three people in the fire, there were four. God was with them in the fire. God saw them through the worst.

“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Daniel 3: 24-25

Why did this happen? Why did God choose to stay in the fire with them? While I cannot pretend to understand God’s thinking, I do know that the three thrown into the fire chose not to leave God. They said no matter what, they would not renounce God, and they knew that God was greater than any king. They stayed with God and He was with them.

What about us during our worst days? We too must not leave our faith and belief in God. During our trials, we speak to Him and He hears our pleas. God is beside us, protecting us, and helping us onward in our lives.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

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Finding Strength for Our Quiet Work

“The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him” Exodus 15:2

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:16

In the verse from Exodus above, Moses gave praise to God after He delivered him through the Red Sea. God knew what needed to happen and He was the only one who could see Moses and his people in their struggle. Only He knew the solution. He provided a way for them when everyone else in the story thought the Egyptian soldiers would win. The enemy did not win, God did. And for that Moses gave praise for the help he received. It was a struggle, but God intervened. He provided the strength and endurance to His people.

In the verse from Hebrews, new believers knew they are welcome to come near to God. They knew God would provide strength and guidance to them in their lives. They approached God with confidence because they believed He would hear and answer their prayers.

Applying the Verses Today

These verses, written centuries apart from each other in the Old and New Testaments are applicable today. In your everyday life, have you ever felt you needed strength and guidance? Even a small break to gather your thoughts? A few minutes of calm? To step away into quiet? I know I have.

Whatever you have been called to do during this season of your life, it is an assignment from God. He has blessed you with children, a spouse, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, close friends, or students, for a reason. You are the only one who can provide the specific care with the light He has given to you to meet the challenges your loved ones are facing. It might be hard to imagine, but there’s a sacred beauty in the role of a caregiver, parent, grandparent, friend, or teacher.

These assignments don’t always feel like a gift. The time you have with family members or significant others in your life is priceless. No matter how hard you try, time cannot be extended. Children grow up, students graduate, loved ones go to Heaven. Time should be cherished and not wasted.

There are days when our work feels crushing. The needs of others don’t stop. The questions keep coming. The energy runs low. And sometimes—despite your love—you may begin to wonder if you have what it takes. The to-do lists never end, the tasks and days blend into each other, and the emotional toll of serving loved one’s day in and day out can leave you feeling drained, unnoticed, or forgotten.

Caregiving in any form is Holy ground. It’s often behind the scenes, unnoticed by the world, but precious to God. Each diaper changed, each meal cooked, each math lesson taught, each late-night prayer whispered beside a loved one’s bed—it all matters. Yet it’s in those same moments that we require a strength greater than our own.

Asking for Strength

God not only provides us with strength for our work, but He also becomes the strength within us. He doesn’t ask us to pretend we’re okay when we’re not. He invites us to praise Him even in fatigue, to exalt Him in our lack, and to trust that He is enough. When our hands are trembling from too many responsibilities, when our hearts are heavy from watching a student struggle or a parent or a loved one decline, we can rely on His strength to meet daily challenges.

God gives us grace when our patience is thin. When our tempers flare, He forgives us. When worry threatens to take over, He whispers, “Peace be with you,” and “cast all your worries on Me.” His quiet voice reminds us that we are not alone, not forgotten, and not failing. He sees our hearts and provides mercy even when our words falter. He even hears our groans. He knows. He hears. He watches.

Draw near to Him, not with shame, but with confidence. You are welcome in His presence. And His grace is always right on time. Ask freely. Trust completely. There is mercy in the middle of your mess—and strength for every single need.

No matter where you are in the midst of your day, you can pray a silent prayer. If the words don’t come to you, no worries. He knows. He provides. May His strength be with you today.

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Adventure Awaits

Opening my inbox, a few email subject titles made me laugh out loud. One subject line was “Travel Awaits,” another read “Greece is calling,” and another stated, “We have travel destinations for July.”

Before retirement, I traveled extensively as part of my professional responsibilities and continue to receive advertisements from airlines, hotels, and booking sites. In recent years, I am more likely to travel to the grocery store or to doctor’s appointments.

The email advertisements, especially the ad focusing on adventure, brought to mind the adventures of travel in the Scriptures. There are stories of warriors, shepherds, giants, soldiers, religious leaders, prophets, priests, and Jesus himself traveling great distances for God’s work. We read about Moses, who traveled for forty years, Noah, who cruised in an ark loaded with animals, and Jonah, who half-heartedly attempted a trip to Nineveh by way of the whale’s stomach and, having learned his lesson, finally reached Nineveh. Jesus walked on top of the stormy waters, traveled by donkey, and even ascended into Heaven. There is no shortage of travel adventures.

And what about lodging in biblical times? Lodging involved walking across deserts and sleeping in tents, ducking into caves, hiking up mountains and sleeping outside, three days of lodging inside a whale’s stomach, and, of course, Mary traveling and giving birth in a manger.

We have one last trip. None of these stories and passages about travel can prepare us for what is to come. Our final destination is with God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We see glimpses, suggestions, and descriptions in the Bible.

Scripture tells us Heaven will be well-designed and built with a good foundation. After all, God is the architect.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. “Psalm 33:6

Heaven will be designed perfectly, and the beauty will be unmatched because God is the decorator.

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. “Psalm 33:6

“The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.” – Revelation 21:18

There will be no darkness there. God will provide the light for us in Heaven.

“And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” Revelation 21:23

We have reservations. God is expecting our arrival and has our names written down.

“…but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20

Our rooms will be ready for us because Jesus is working on preparations and will come to escort us on our journey.

“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” John 14:2-3

But the physical appearance of Heaven is not the best part. When we enter Heaven, there will be only joy, praise, singing, happiness, and love. There will be no illness, pain, suffering, sorrow, or tears. Nothing will be impure; nothing will be ugly or evil. We will be there rejoicing for eternity

When I read about the biblical descriptions of Heaven, it makes me anxious to go! I want to get prepared. I want to know my date of departure! But I have more adventures here on earth, and I know God has more work for me to do for Him. And while I am busy working for Him, He is working on me.

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