Friday, December 07, 2007

This Christmas I understand why people say the holiday season is a depressing time of the year. Everything about the holiday makes us feel completely alone. The holiday season makes us think of relationships we had with people, both the good and the bad. Holiday shopping makes me wish I can give more for people I love. Even nicely decorated houses makes me wish we can embellish our home with pretty garlands and wreaths. This Christmas, both Ben and I are feeling the blues. We are discontent with where we are in life, what we are doing here in Louisville, and relationships we wish were better back home.

Of course there are many things to be thankful for as well. During this holiday season, God has given us with a baby whom we already love. Both Ben and I have the blessing of good health and God is never slow to give us our daily bread. When I feel blue, I think of all those people that truly loves us and I am thankful for them.

Maybe this year God is trying to show us what Christmas is really all about. When everything we cherish seems small and distant, we can rely on Jesus, the everlasting God. After all, he is the only one that will never change, will never fail us, will never disappoint.

What does Christmas mean anyways? It meant that we have a personal hope of being with God someday because a savior is born to take away our sins. Why is that important you say? It is important because when we are with God, we will never again have pain, hopelessness, and despair; we will enjoy God forever because he is the father of all good things.

1 comment:

Jamie Butts said...

Samantha!
Great post. I wanted to pass this quote along to you. Personally, I was applying it to struggles in finances. I think it's super encouraging.
"I have never been so happy in all my life as when I have had nothing to trust but God. The times when I have been flung into the sea and compelled to swim because I could not trust the bottom have been the most joyous times to my own heart. In the times when I have been enabled to just believe God and to leave everything in His hands, I have seen the Lord's hand working marvelously in the midst of the earth, and it has given me the utmost delight. Happiness is not found when the barns are full and the vats are running over. Happiness is knowing that whatever you have, the Lord is your provider." from The Triumph of Faith in a Believers Life by Charles Spurgeon.