Countless times I’ve heard people say, “just waiting for Christmas to be done,” “can’t wait for this season to be over,” or some similar sentiment.
Sometimes it’s due to losing a loved one around the holidays. Or because we’re alone or feel alone during the holidays. It can be because we’re mourning Christmases past before our parents divorced. For those touched by gray divorce (when our parents wait until we’re grown to divorce) “Christmases past” may only be a year ago.
For adults with divorced parents, the words often remain unspoken, but they’re there—hiding below the surface. We don’t say it out loud for any number of reasons:
- we’re in denial
- the pain of what we’re missing is too great (grieving)
- it’s un-Christian to have hard hearts during the season of our Savior’s birth
- or we feel we have to put on a good face for our kids, spouses, elderly parents, friends, coworkers, etc.
Whatever the reason, if we’re not careful, resentment, anger, sadness, or depression can replace the joy, thankfulness, and wonder the Christmas carols proclaim.
Until recent years, Christmas has always been difficult for me due to mourning Christmases without my dad included. But with prayer and processing through the issues like we discuss on this site, I’ve learned to love Christmas for what it is today. However, this year our daughter became “Mrs” our daughter, and is living several states away. As a result, this will be the first Christmas she won’t be with us. We’re celebrating Christmas with her, our son-in-law, and family a couple weeks earlier, but it’s not the same. But, what I found myself asking is, “the same” as what?
I’ve found that my desire for a family Christmas with gifts under the tree and songs in the air had eclipsed my awareness of what Christmas is REALLY all about. Songs, gifts, food, and family are not bad things, unless they overshadow the most important aspect of this season; celebrating God’s amazing gift to all mankind—Jesus.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 2:8-14 NIV
And that’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.
And that’s what Christmas is all about Kent.
And that’s what Christmas is all about my friend—God’s amazing gift.
And, in case you’re wondering, Romans 5:6-9 explains why this gift is so amazing and why Jesus’ birth is so important:
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.”
Focus on this and whatever is causing you to want to hit the skip button on life’s remote to the new year, will fade into the background of God’s amazing love for you—unchanging, unending, un-lose-able love (Romans 8:38-39). Truly, the greatest gift!