Christmas will always be tainted with grief for us. It’s been that way for 15 years. What always brought us excitement and giddiness, now brings the bitter sweetness of what once was. And this year is no different, and yet it is.
There are days that bring immense joy and excitement over Christmas. Thinking of the kids opening their gifts, seeing the lights at night, or watching them concentrate on making the cookies; excitement over that perfect gift you got someone and anticipating the surprise on their face when they finally open it.
But then there are the days where the thought of celebrating at all brings fear and nausea. The thought of Christmas being vastly different than the year before has one stopping in their tracks and avoiding it all. Christmas music ceases to be played, presents remain unwrapped, and the hesitation of putting the tree up wins and it remains in the box in the closet.
I’m sure we’ve all experienced this at some point, regardless of the situation. Maybe you’re even experiencing it right now.
What fights against the sadness and darkness though, is the hope that it won’t always be this way. The hope that this isn’t the end of the story, that though things and life are constantly changing, the hope of Christmas does not.
The words to “O Holy Night” are a beautiful reminder of that hope, specifically these words:
“Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
Regardless of our circumstances at Christmas, our hope in Jesus remains. His perfect plan to save us never changed and neither will He. Though things will look different year to year and change will come, be it good or bad, Jesus Christ’s birth should be celebrated for the hope that it brought both then and now. We can celebrate in both joy and grief.
I know the holidays are hard. I know we’re all searching for the “Christmas magic” from when we were younger and nothing had hurt us yet. But there’s still joy in Christmas, we just have to look to the One who it’s actually all about. In all things, in all circumstances, in all seasons, our hope remains. It may hurt right now but Jesus is right there with us, bursting through our sin and weariness, making us feel our worth.
May the hope and joy of Christmas find you again.
Merry Christmas, friends.
Luke 2:14
Beauty in the Ashes 