You find out that one million dollars is deposited into your account. What would you do? Pay off your debts? Buy a new car? New house? New clothes? Do some repairs? Travel? Eat out every day? Treat friends? Help relatives?
Whatever you did, one thing you probably wouldn’t do is worry about your finances. Imagine being free from that burden!
The Holiday Burden
One thing a million dollars can’t buy is peace during the holidays:
- peace from the stress of choosing between two parents on holidays
- freedom from sadness of Christmases past without Mom and Dad together
- liberty from the strained relationships with siblings who blame different parents for the divorce
- relief from dinners with the person who broke up your parents’ marriage
- freedom from the challenge of dealing with extended step-families or ex step-families
True holiday peace
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27). Jesus offers us peace. But more important, Jesus is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Jesus provides a way for us to have the only peace that really matters, peace from God’s wrath on our sin, peace from the fear of receiving the penalty for our selfish actions, peace from the ultimate fear, death. When we have this peace, divorce-fractured holidays lose their power to dim our joy.
The path to peace
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Jesus was clear that He was the only access to God because He was the only one who could pay the penalty for our sin—death. But Jesus also said everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life (John 3:15). This is the path to true peace.
The result of peace
The result of accepting Christ as your Savior (from your sins) and Lord (leader of your life) is a Christ-filtered view of your parental divorce situation.
- we carry grudges; Jesus says forgive.
- we want to exclude people; Jesus says love them.
- we are afraid to trust; Jesus says trust Him.
- we dwell on past hurts; Jesus said, God sent Me to set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18).
- we sting from memories of past things we’ve done; Jesus says your sins, which are many, are forgiven.
- we want to protect what’s ours; Jesus says to give to those in need—particularly our enemies
This kind of peace is yours for the taking, and is worth far more than the temporary peace a million dollars would provide. Start this holiday season by accepting God’s gift to you, Jesus Christ and receive the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).