This morning, as I write this, people all over the world are celebrating Christmas. Homes are filled with peace like no other time in the year. The poor are getting extra meals and gifts they normally would not have. Beautiful displays of lights and decorations fill the soul with a romantic sense of the season and transport hearts to places they haven't been in years. Stores and restaurants finally prioritize spending time with family and close down, even if for just a few hours. Fun, warm, special, and treasured memories abound for many during this annual celebration.
At the same time, there are many who have walked through this season with great pain and sorrow. They are experiencing the real contrast of the season because they personally have felt abandoned, experienced deep grief, or deal with psychological issues and memories that make the Christmas Holiday Season a difficult one for them.
Both Christians and non-Christians are included in the categories described above.
Yet, there are still others who do not fit in those descriptions; Christians and non-Christians nevertheless. People who do not go out of their way to make December 24-25th any other different than the other days of the year.
As a Christian, who has chosen not to celebrate the traditional Christmas traditions, I have explained a small window into my previous experiences that have led me to question this holiday.
All along I believed it was my sad and unfortunate circumstances that were contaminating the holiday for me. Now, I believe the Spirit was revealing to me all those times the higher thinking. When I saw the contrast in what I was experiencing and what I knew I wanted to experience (on a deeper level), I was actually being given the gift of insightfulness into the ways of God's Kingdom. The reason I struggled with enjoying Christmas, in the way it seemed everyone around me did, was because it is not designed for me to find true joy in it. Christmas should not be what brings us joy, peace, love, and hope!
I find rest in God, only He gives me hope. (Psalm)
As I had challenged our daughters to explain how our Christmas traditions were honoring and obeying God's Word, we found things we never knew. Things we had never heard in our churches; things I do not think will ever be highlighted as teachings in our churches - the one's who center their December messages, activities, and decorations around Christmas.
I would like to briefly explain a few key verses in the Bible that validated my unrest spirit. Before I do, I want to emphasize that I am a firm believer that we are not to argue over the Scriptures. This would negate the BIG picture of what God is trying to accomplish among His people.
2 Timothy 2:14 tells us, "Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers." This is right before we are told to "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,"
Verse 22-26 "Pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife, And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel be be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will, "
For those reading who "call on the Lord out of a pure heart"; I am writing to you.
....... To Be Continued..... (I will come back and add to the bottom of this post) 12-25-2018
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