Did you know the word Christmas as an exclamation expresses surprise, distress or despair? Isn’t that fascinating!
Culturally, Christmas is promoted with shiny, glittery, alluring “must-have” items, images of friends and family joyously celebrating together, glorious tablescapes replete with special occasion foods preserved only for this special time of year. Worldly cares seem to be non-existent with these images of Christmas.
While some people may be able to put their troubles in the background to enjoy the surprise and awe of the season, others remain in distress and even despair because of their personal circumstances. I understand. My family and I spent many Christmases in financial poverty. However, because of the home we rented and the furnishings and clothing we acquired before our hardship, we didn’t have the appearance of being impoverished. Nonetheless, we were in many ways–finances, health, marital relationship and admittedly our spiritual condition suffered.
Before our unexpected financial devastation, which came through no fault of our own, we were quite well off. We were faithful Christians who tithed, regularly attended and volunteered at church. We owned two houses, renting one and living in the other. We had no consumer debt and were living according to all conservative principles. Yet through a series of unexpected events we suffered, we were forced to spend many Christmases in lack and with debilitating physical conditions. Even so, we learned so very much from that extended season of suffering.
I recall one Christmas when there was no way we could buy our children any Christmas presents, walking through to the kitchen the thought coursed my mind, Thank You God for relieving us from the world-system. Surprised at the thought, realizing it was inspired by the Holy Spirit, it hit me. We were free from the world monetary system. We were no longer part of the materialistic society. We were completely dependent on God for our food, rent, utilities, and more.
In the early days of our trial, I cried out to God to do for us today what I’ve learned He’d done in the past. I recounted the great, miraculous stories of both the Old and New Testaments and mustered up all the “faith” I could to be in position for God to bless us. When the relief didn’t come, I had the choice to give up on God and take matters into my own hands or continue to trust Him. I remember thinking, Things are already pretty bad trusting God, imagine how much worse they could get if I gave up on Him . . . No, I resolved, all things are possible with God so my task was to believe, (Luke 1:37).
That’s when I realized I had trust or faith in Jesus as my Savior for my eternal life. What I had trouble with was believing God for my temporal life – my life here and now. Yet, that makes no sense! How could I trust God for my eternal life, but have problems with His ability to work in my temporal life? My faith wasn’t the question as much as it was my belief. Somewhere along the lines, my belief in God’s abilities and intentions for life on earth had become corrupted with the reality and experience of evil. Another thought coursed through my mind, Just because God is sovereign over all, doesn’t make Him responsible for all.
I had to admit I had resentment against God for not working in my behalf. What do we read in the New Testament? Jesus was limited by the unbelief the people of His own Hometown had concerning Him (Mark 6:4-5). Faith and belief are two sides of the same coin, and both must be intact, without corruption. This what God seeks to develop in us.
Truth is, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, (Heb. 13:8). He is no respecter of people, (Acts 10:34). What He’s done for others He will do for us. If we are not where we’d like to be just now, we must conclude it’s not our turn–there’s more to be gained in the waiting. There must be good to come in and through this (Romans 8:28).
We are so self-centered we more often believe our suffering is all about us and we must have something yet to be worked out. While there are always matters within us to be improved, there are also many times our suffering is for the benefit of others. Think of Jesus.
Think too of the testimony of Stephen who while being stoned to death cried out ““Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:59-60). Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul was the instigator of Stephen’s stoning. Consider the impact of Stephen’s testimony on the Apostle Paul. They way we endure hardships provide greater testimony to the goodness of God than when we prosper.
The years of hardships have built my faith in God’s character, will and intentions. The transformation of my thoughts to align my belief with truth have expanded my expectations of God working the miraculous in my life. Oh, don’t think I was completely cooperative in the process. There were many times I cried, screamed, yelled and exhausted myself, only to return to the same place of waiting in trust I was before the tantrum. Just the same, I have had many people express that when they encountered a suffering they drew from how they saw me go through what we did.
This Christmas, my heart is extended to the many people who lost their homes in the devastating California fires, the families who have lost loved-ones to senseless violence, the ravages of sickness and disease, and the losses suffered across the country and around the world because of the increase of evil. I, like so many others, have loved ones battling life and death health issues. Many people are seeking to find the joy of Christmas this year. May I suggest we all understand Christmas expresses joy, distress and despair and to allow ourselves to process our genuine emotions, providing we make certain our beliefs are based on truth.
Yes, God is sovereign over all, but he is not responsible for all. Let us not attribute evil to God. Let us work hard to reject the lies of the enemy and dwell in the truth of God, who is love (1 Jn 4:8). Perhaps reading 1 Corinthians chapter 13 will be helpful for you to properly focus on, and have a proper belief in God.
Just as we receive the gift of salvation by believing truth, so do we receive all other gifts God wants to bestow upon us. Guard your hearts and minds to preserve yourself in truth and you will discover the joy of Christmas, even in the midst of despair.
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