“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” Psalm 23:1-3
I heard on the radio the other day a survey which showed that more people do not like listening to Christmas music than those who do. The majority of people who do not like listening to it said that is was because it stressed them out. It was just a reminder of all the things they still had to get done.
Christmas can be a very stressful time even become a chore to us . . . if we let it. We can stress about trying to find perfect gifts, traveling, parties, finances, things we have to bake, cards we have to get out and so on. This year the stress may be even worse. It is very easy to get overwhelmed by the large to-do list we create for ourselves. We can get lost in the list and forget about the true meaning and beauty the season.
Celebrating the birth of Jesus was never intended to be done amidst chaos. Remember what the angels said:
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Even in the midst of standing in long lines, baking cookies, trying to find the perfect sale and everything else we do during this season, we can have peace. We just need to remember to pause and ask for it.
Reflection
What causes you the most stress during the Christmas season? Is there something you can change about it to make it more enjoyable? In your prayers, remember to pray to God for peace and rest this season.
Raelyn Pracht 