There may be no greater time of year than Christmas when joy is spoken of. It is indeed true that there is a reason for great joy because God chose to come close so so close to us through His Son. But because of the expectation of great joy that reaches its zenith on December 24 + 25, many people sense the magnifying glass pouring over their own hearts in search of joy that often has been at least temporarily replaced with other things. Some may feel guilty because they are feeling no joy, while others may feel isolated, vulnerable, and extra lonely.

In an ordinary year, many struggle through the Christmas and New Year celebrations. I’m one of them. I have always had a love/hate relationship with the season of Christmas. I have always loved the holiness and focus on the majesty of the gift of Jesus, but the pomp and circumstance of the festivities and cheery celebrations have always left me with a longing and expectation for something that made my heart ache a little. This year of quarantine and Covid have exponentially increased the difficulty of balancing emotions, expectations, and the realities of life for so many.

I know many are struggling with the loss of a loved one, or worry and fear about Covid and those who have it, or not being able to see loved ones, or loss of a job, or loneliness, or depression, or the list goes on.

I sure wish I had some kind of fantastic solution to give to you. I really don’t but I do have two things to tell you that I hope will help a bit. And if I could squeeze every single one of you into my office and tell you these things in person, I would surely do it:

#1. You don’t have to fake happy! For so many, these are not the happiest of days. Be authentic to what you are feeling. Burying feelings doesn’t make feelings go away. They just isolate you from everyone around you. You don’t have to feel guilty if you have low, or even no, holiday spirit. I just told you I struggle. It doesn’t have to be the “secret” you have to bury. The best thing about being in touch with how you are really feeling (sad, mad, scared, lonely, etc.) is that when December 24th finally gets here and we each make our pilgrimage somehow to walk by the manger and visit the Son of Glory, we have the opportunity to drop off a gift. The gift He would most like to receive from you are the things that your heart is bearing on it’s own. Oh, I think I had better repeat that audacious truth to you. The gift He would most like to receive from you are the things that your heart is bearing on it’s own. He Himself, the Baby, came to bear those feelings for you and with you. If you hide them away, you can’t gift Him with them. Give Him what you think is your worst and that you most want to stuff away in a deep dark corner of yourself and just watch what the Christmas miracle really looks and feels like.

#2. Emmanuel means “God with us”. We seem to have gotten this weird notion that the celebration of Jesus being born means that we must elevate ourselves to reach Him. We somehow think that we must clean ourselves up and be on our best behavior because we are celebrating His birthday and who wants to be a party pooper at a birthday party! Go deeper. Emmanuel means God with us….exactly where we are. This is the truth and glory and joy of Christmas….He will come to you. You don’t have to go to Him. Whatever shade of blue you have, Jesus will come to you this season and meet you in the place of your greatest need. That is where He most wants to be…..not in the tinsel and colored lights and carols and eggnog….no He wants to be wherever and however you are!

Of course there is still lots of celebrating going on all around us. That is as it should be. But the true glory of the Christmas moment is that He will hold your heart, or the pieces of it, in His tiny baby hands and whatever you are feeling will not only be acknowledged and received by the King of Kings, but will be transformed as well.

Psalm 34:18NIV, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

That isn’t exactly traditional Scripture that is read as part of the Christmas story…..but perhaps it should be. For why else would He even have come to be with us?