A Christmas Message: When all isn't calm or bright

In a few (short) days it will be Christmas.

Followers of God's Son commemorate God Incarnate. Emmanuel. God coming to earth to dwell with us.

But with Christmas come expectations. 

Sometimes, despite what Christmas carols may tell us, everything isn't calm and bright.

We expect family gatherings to go well. We expect work-related activities to wind down to a successful conclusion as we get ready to close the books on 2015. We expect holiday-themed activities to come off without a hitch.

Of course, in the middle of all the preparation and logistical challenges, life happens. 

And life being what it is, nothing is ever perfect this side of heaven.

So disappointment inevitably sets in. 

You may be experiencing intense homesickness at your first Christmas spent away from home.

You may be experiencing the frustration a single-parent (or two parents together) feel having limited financial resources in the middle of  the most consumer-driven season of the year.

You may be experiencing major challenges with co-workers at the workplace.

Irony of ironies, church members themselves may be trying to prop you up by offering quotes from the Bible to encourage you. But your heart may be too heavy to hear the hope behind the words.

If that's your situation, the last thing God wants you to do is deny how you're feeling about it.

God isn't in the business of squelching your feelings. 

(For proof, just read through the Book of Psalms. They are filled with all sorts of emotions).

It's fine to go to God with frustration, heartache, depression or anything else.

We don't have to pretend we're happy before we enter into God's presence.

We don't have to wait until we feel like it to go to God with whatever emotional pain we may have.

In fact, the whole idea of God becoming incarnate was to make it easier for us to relate to God. 

And how can you relate to someone who always expects you to be upbeat and happy when life isn't always that way? (Remember God's Son wept first at the tomb of Lazarus before resurrecting him).

It's a wonderful relief to know that no matter what we may be going through emotionally, God's big enough to take it. 

Remember when you were little and you skinned your knee and ran crying to your parents? They held you and let you know it was going to be ok. As you rested in their arms, you gradually felt better. 

Well, God wants you to know (even if your own parents couldn't comfort you) that God's arms are big enough to hold you and whatever it is you're going through. Even if you can't quite trust God fully, you can let God know and let trust and hope begin to be built up again.

That's God's Christmas present to every one of us!

Photo Credit: www.theguardian.com