A friend of mind, Gwen, remarked that this holiday season would be especially difficult for her because she broke up with her boyfriend this year. She suspected him of cheating and finally just got fed up with all the lies. Despite her suspicions and the numerous times that he’s disappointed her, she still wonders if breaking it off was the right move. She now thinks that she can do something to cause him to have a change of heart and is considering asking him if they can get back together. The holiday season inspires memories of cozy warmth and the joy of being close and feeling connected. When feelings of loneliness take the place of happiness and hopefulness, holiday blues can cause us to make desperate moves that aren’t in our best interest.
Many people have a higher stress level over the holidays. The increase in family or work gatherings, the pressures of gift-giving, and having a lack of time and money can add to a person’s angst during the season. Adding the irritability and sadness of loneliness doesn’t help, especially when you’re seeing others with extra joy in their lives. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, one of the things we must accept is that there will be times of transition, and sometimes they are challenging for us emotionally. Life is an ever changing and dynamic reality, and to remain flexible to it, you and I must be anchored in the truth that some things must be released to make room for greater blessings.
Onward and upward
2Peter 3:18 (NIV) says, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” 2Peter 1:5-8(NIV) cosigns this by telling us, “5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Our goal for being on this earth is to walk in our true identities as children of God and brothers and sisters of Christ. We are to take every possible measure to ensure that we do not regress and go backwards; we must be effective and productive as a result of our knowledge of Christ. There is no going back to the old and former way of operating in the realm of God. With Him, it’s onward and upward all the way. Every blessing, from the smallest to the greatest, is on track with the way in which Heavenly Father moves. He doesn’t make us go back to how people lived hundreds of years ago. Instead, He allows us to grow and advance in every way. He’s about progression not regression.
Did you change?
Ephesians 4:21-24(NIV) says, “when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Have you put on your new self? When dude decided that it was okay to lie to you, disrespect you, and put your best interest on the backburner, did you allow yourself to be equal to this treatment? Did you change?
God commands us to put off the stuff that is no longer working for us. This means that when it comes to the attitudes and behaviors that block our faith and keep us from progressing, we have to kick that stuff to the curb. There’s no “I want it back because I’m uncomfortable.” Discomfort comes with change. There are labor pains that come with birthing something new, but we have to allow ourselves the process of looking at where we were, accessing what we could have done better, and releasing it all so that we can put Jesus Christ in the driver’s seat. He’ll steer our lives to the endless possibilities that God holds for us.
Why it’s important not to go back?
We cannot be the same people we were two years ago, two months ago, or two weeks ago. God commands that we are committed to abound and grow in Christ continually. With every moment, we are becoming more of who God desires us to be, and this is a very wonderful thing. We don’t have time for pity parties. Going back means that we’re rejecting our own belief in the fabulousness of what is to come. We’re betraying our highest self for someone who didn’t appreciate us because we didn’t fully appreciate ourselves. Let’s not do that. We need to embrace the splendor of who God has made us and get completely and thoroughly psyched about the newness that is soon to come.
Let the holiday season be about sharing yourself and whatever you can offer to those who need it most. Step outside your comfort zone and be a blessing in ways you haven’t before. Put out the welcome mat for newness and commit yourself to cultivating greater depth and intimacy in your relationship with God. Having a significant person to spend the holidays with is a gift, but nothing will ever compare to spending every day with God through Jesus Christ. Let Heavenly Father be your focus for the holiday season and every day for that matter. Then, when He blesses you with a special person, you’ll both appreciate each other in the unity and sweetness of Christ.■
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
“Turning Holiday Blues to Holidays News!” written for Crazynlove.com ©2019. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!