Friday Fight 191: Christmas Time or Time of Crisis

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF191.

When we imagine the perfect Christmas Eve, what comes to mind? Growing up a pastor's kid, the memories of being in church fill my mind. Some of us visualize different ways of celebrating the birth of Christ, a joyous occasion that we look forward to all year. Although, this does not apply to everyone. There are some of us currently carrying burdens, fighting an illness, struggling with finances, or working through painful memories, and these struggles far outweigh any celebratory disposition. We desire to be at church with our family and friends, but collecting the strength to celebrate is entirely different. What can we do when we feel this Christmas season is more like a season of crisis?

Christmas Time or Time of Crisis:

In 2011, my family celebrated my father's 79th birthday on December 15th, and after a three month battle, he passed away five days later. There was little time to process our world being torn apart as we bonded together as a family, yet in broken pieces. I remember my son asking me if we could stay home from Christmas Eve service so we could cry; the concern in his gesture was precious and appealing. I wanted to separate myself and grieve, even though Christmas Eve services were always a highlight for our family. A week later, my best friend and I were hit head-on by a distracted driver. Every aspect of me was now painfully suffering, physically and emotionally.

As we stood in church together, crying and broken, I thought, "If we can't cry out to God while at church, where can we?" While suffering, God revealed Himself in the most incredible ways, as He has for all of us. Ecclesiastes 3:4 says “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” This chapter emphasises that there is a time for everything and for us it was a time to mourn. Some of us are experiencing a heartbreaking season and are simply trying to survive and it is okay if celebrating is expressed quietly while we mourn. Being in a good place is also alright, even when others struggle. While some of us are struggling, need direction, or a setback has caused us to lose hope, shutting down and isolating ourselves may look appealing, but God wants us to seek His company in all seasons.

Instead of disconnecting ourselves or being concerned with our uncontrolled emotions, please take time on Christmas Eve to gather with others at church and experience the hope only found in the Prince of Peace. The purpose of His life was for us to learn through His examples of walking with those struggling and consoling those who grieve. We can bring the painful things contaminating our souls to church on Christmas Eve and allow God to use those around us to fill the emptiness within us.

For those of us who are in a celebratory season, let's be there with open arms, ready to honor the birth of Christ by welcoming and comforting others. We are in a perfect position to be used by God for someone who desperately needs to feel His presence. Remember, we all have a community of support that reminds us that we are not alone, a community that is here to help us heal and find hope. Let's be that community for someone else this season!

If you are looking for a service to attend, here are some options in the DMV area:

River Church (Newburg) - 5pm

NEWLIFE Calvert - 4pm & 6pm

NEWLIFE La Plata - 1pm, 3pm, 5pm & 7pm

NEWLIFE Alexandria - 6pm

New Post (Fredericksburg) - 4pm & 5:30pm

LifePoint (Waldorf) - 4pm & 6pm

Pastor Shannon

River Church