Christmas can be a great time of year. But if we are not careful, we can also get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Wrapping gifts, high credit card bills, and wrangling your kids for a picture with Santa can become daunting. Even the most devout Christian can become easily distracted by the ever-expanding to-do list rather than focusing on Christ this Christmas. This can cause someone to want to give up, lose their joy, or even give up on the holiday altogether.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. By focusing on Christ, we increase the chances of staying true to the real reason for the season and being fully present in the moment, allowing us to enjoy the holidays truly. Here are five ways to make Christmas the center of your holidays:
Read the Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Luke is one of the most compelling accounts of Christ’s birth. The Gospel of Luke has 24 chapters. Read one chapter of Luke a day and prepare your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you focus on the words. Ask His Spirit to illuminate new phrases or words for you to reflect. Even if you have read this book many times, ask His Spirit to reveal it to you in new ways.
Go one step further and study the book. Invest in a commentary or Bible software, such as Logos Bible Software, and see where the Lord takes you. The Lord can show you parts of His word that may penetrate deep within your heart. This experience with the Lord will be better than any gift you can receive.
Read a New Devotional
Books and devotionals can be a great supplement to your daily Bible reading. If you are not used to reading additional material from a devotional or a book, now is a great time to try. Black Friday Deals and Cyber Monday deals may showcase specials and books on topics that bring you joy. Buy an Advent devotional and go through each day of the devotional as if it's the first time you're reading that Bible passage.
Cross-reference with your own Bible translation to get a more profound meaning out of the words. Allow the Spirit to let you ruminate on what you are reading. You may find that the selected text speaks to you in a way you don't expect.
Additionally, get a blank journal and write down your feelings and thoughts regarding each day's entry. Don't just read through the devotional; digest it, giving yourself time to reflect on the Word that has been given to you. Make sure to choose it from an author who you know is well-grounded in the Word of God.
You may also want to read a book that is not necessarily Christmas-themed but may touch on subjects close to your heart this Christmas season. For example, if you are looking to the new year and want to be more minimalist in the way you live, choose a book that focuses on getting rid of clutter, giving to people experiencing poverty, or buying less stuff.
Topics like contentment, joy, hope, and peace are universal themes that can easily distract you from the Christmas season if you're not careful. Discover which concept might be a weakness of yours and buy a book that will help enhance your life in that area. Humbly come to the Lord, asking him to give me the gift of a transformed life, and you may find this is the best Christmas ever.
Pray More
No matter how devoted a Christian you are, there's always more room in our day to pray. For example, you may want to practice the Scripture that says, "Pray without ceasing.” What does it really mean to you when you have a full-time job, are raising a family, or have other responsibilities that vie for your time?
Try a different discipline to help you focus on Christ throughout the day. You can also purchase books that help you focus on Christ throughout your day, as well as in the morning or at night. For example, you may want to start your day with daily Bible reading and a devotional, focusing on the Scripture you just read. Ask the Lord to help incorporate this Scripture into your heart today.
You may also take your lunch break to read through a specific topic based on Scripture. For example, focus on contentment or being free in Christ. Take a moment to read, then pray, asking God to help you increase your contentment or spiritual freedom. You can end your day in prayer, praying for your coworkers, family members who don't know the Lord, or any other subject you want to pray about. Don't just reserve prayer for 20 minutes a day while devoting most of your time to things that don't matter. Allow prayer to guide your day.
Take hope: you can pray at any time, and God will always be with you. The more you pray, the more you focus on Christ. The more you focus on Christ, the less appealing it is to be distracted by the world's desires.
Do Good to Others
Another great way to keep your eyes focused on Christ this holiday season is to be an example of His love for others. You can do random acts of kindness throughout the day, or you can choose to volunteer at your church. Whatever approach works best for you, be sure to follow it consistently. For example, you may want to approach your pastor about serving in a particular ministry that lacks volunteers or start a new ministry. Be mindful of his direction concerning the timing. Although the holidays are not typically a prime time to start new ministries, they are an ideal opportunity to focus on serving the community and keeping Christ at the center.
If you choose to do something outside of the church, consider finding a cause that you and your family can work on together. You can write a check to Compassion International, World Vision, or another organization that helps needy kids that you know won't be opening presents this Christmas. You can also pack a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child and drop it off at your local church. Whatever you do, do it cheerfully and do it together as a family.
Limit Gifts
Although this suggestion may not be the most popular, it could be the best bet for reducing your stress and increasing your joy this holiday season. If you find you have created a precedent of giving many presents to each of your family members, you can easily limit this this year. Please let people know that we'll be giving fewer gifts this year; we're focusing solely on the children. Let's give means less wrapping, less debt, and less stress.
Instead, choose to spend time with each of your children individually. Promise to take them out and do something fun together. Please give them the gift of experience and your time rather than simply a gift to open for a moment on Christmas morning. The gift of knowledge will stay in their memory forever, while the gift wrap (or even the gift itself) will soon be discarded with the garbage the next morning.
No matter how much we try, our world bombards us with messages that Christmas is all about gifts, Santa Claus, and consumerism. But with a few small steps in our daily lives, we can choose to focus not on gifts and consumeristic ideals, but rather on Jesus Christ, the real reason for the season.
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