One week from today, many households around the US will become beehives of activity with Thanksgiving preparations. Pies baking, turkeys thawing, and table decorating will fill our to-do list. But, unfortunately, chaos soon follows as we rush around, hoping to create a picture-perfect day for our family and friends.
Once we finish eating the meal and the cleanup complete, many of us collapse into a turkey comma as we watch our favorite teams on TV. Early to bed and early to rise for Black Friday sales to begin the Christmas season.
Preparations of Our Hearts
Sometimes, it feels like we rush through this time of year. This is because we spend so much time in preparation for the coming events. From Thanksgiving to Christmas becomes a blur of activity that leaves us exhausted as we enter the new year. This Holiday Season, I want to include preparations that fill my heart with the joy of Christ.
I want to tune out the noises and activities that the world creates during the holidays and listen. I want to be intentional about how I fill my time this season. Of course, preparations will still happen, but they will include a time of reflection and prayer so the Lord can prepare my heart for His purposes.
Preparations for Reflection
For my reflections during this Holiday season, I want to take time to remember these things about the gifts my Heavenly Father gave me:
- Forgiveness so I can forgive
- Love so I can love
- Grace so I can give grace
- Abundance so I can share abundantly
- Salvation so I can share my faith
I want my heart to focus on how God’s grace and love changed my life and thank Him for the many blessings.
Be Still
But, to fulfill this task, I must take the time to be still and listen. Here are a few quotes to help me remember to be quiet:
“In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God and feel His good presence; this will carry you evenly through your day’s business.”
William Penn
“The quieter you become, the more you can hear.”
Ram Dass
And we also find many verses in the Bible to remind us to tune out the sounds of the world around us and focus on God:
- Psalm 46:10 (NIV): “He says, Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
- Psalm 37:7 (NIV): “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
- Psalm 1:2 (NLT): “But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.”
And when we spend time with Christ, we find peace even in the craziness of a commercial Holiday season:
- Colossians 3:15 (ESV): “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
- Philippians 4:7 (ESV): “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
- Isaiah 26:3 (ESV): “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
So, as we prepare for the Holidays, I pray we focus more on our faith than on the season’s festivities. Our faith calls us to live a different life than the rest of the world. Romans 12:2 (ESV); “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Prayer of Preparation
Dearest Heavenly Father. Please help us make this Holiday season more about You. Please show us how to replace the season’s stress with Your peace and joy. Thank you for the Christmas gift of Your son to save us. Let us show the world how to celebrate the true meaning of this holy season. In Jesus’ most holy name. Amen.