Advent: Day 14
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
Worry and anxiety is a battle anytime of year, but in the Christmas season it is especially prevalent, isn’t it? Money, travel, getting all the gifts bought, all the events, cooking and baking, seeing family you might not want to see, or not being able to see people you would like to see all can pile on at this time of year. And with that, you may have your other weights and burdens that are on you, that can seem that much heavier in seasons like this.
So what do we do?
I never want to be one who gives just copy and paste answers, especially on topics like this. When you are burdened and stressed, you need to find healthy ways to fill up your tank and deal with what is on your mind. You may need to ask for help, seek medical help, talk to someone, or sometimes just ride it out. But regardless of what you may need to do, I’ve found that something that does help to bring peace is found in this passage.
Be thankful. Pausing for thankfulness is a powerful meditation we can all do. It focuses us on all the good we have and how God has cared for us.
Now of course, this does not mean we ignore or gloss over our difficulties and pain. I’ve written about how it’s good and healthy to deal with those things, and express that pain to God. And with that, we can also give thanks for anything good in our lives. We can express our multitude of complex emotions to God, where we may feel thankful and hopeful for what we have in our lives, while at the same time having struggles and pain about other things in our lives. God understands and wants us to share our whole selves.
Song of the day: