Hebrews 12:1b-2
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. (NLT)

This time of year can be wonderful—time spent with family and friends, celebrating the holidays together, making memories—but it can also be hard for many reasons. Maybe it’s your first Christmas without someone you love, or you’ll be away from home for the first time. Maybe family is what makes it hard to enjoy Christmas because there’s so much drama or dysfunction. The holidays can be special, but it’s important to acknowledge that they can also bring up really hard things, be difficult, and sometimes not be the joyful season we hope or wish it would be.

In the good and the bad, it’s important to remember that the reason we celebrate Christmas has nothing to do with meals or get-togethers, but has everything to do with the hope the season brings—the hope we were given when Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah, came to earth to ultimately be the sacrifice for our sin so that we could be reconciled to Him through the gift of grace and forgiveness. We can get caught up in so much this time of year, whether that be celebration or hardship, but instead, it’s my prayer that we turn our eyes to Jesus above everything else in this season and every day.

He is the good news. He is the true reason for this season, and we can have peace and joy through even the toughest of life’s moments when He is at the center of our lives. Whether the holidays are hard for you because of loss, disappointment, difficult people, or busyness, let God restore your heart and remind you of the “why” behind this season. Let Him give you the strength to endure, and ask Him to provide hope and healing for your soul.

Wednesday’s Reflection

Take a listen to this twist on an old hymn, and let the lyrics of the song remind you of how focusing on Jesus can put the rest of life into a healthy perspective.