How to Remain Grateful, Not Guilty, This Holiday Season

Posted on Dec 10, 2020 Topic : Inspirational/Devotional, Men's Christian Living, Women's Christian Living
Posted by : Crystal Stine

My brain has too many tabs open and I can’t figure out which one is playing music...and I have a feeling I’m not the only one feeling that way.

In addition to the memorable year we’ve all gone through, our calendar is starting to fill up with holiday activities and family events. Even at a smaller scale it's a busy event season with family, friends, work, and doing our very best to end the year with peace and joy.

I love it.

I love the energy and enthusiasm that comes with the holidays. I love the traditions and the preparation and the color-coded spreadsheet that tracks our gift buying and budget. It brings me joy to find activities that will create memories for our family, and even digging out decorations covered in glitter from dusty bins in the garage puts me in a good mood.

But how do we remain grateful during the busy times? How do we quiet the shoulds that make us feel like we need to say “yes” to everything so we can close a few of those tabs?

We're told that we need to do it all, cram our schedules full so no one ever misses out on anything, and make sure we make it all look Pinterest-perfect. On the other hand, if we skip all of the activities of the holidays and do nothing, we may very well miss out on some incredible opportunities God has for us to serve our neighbors, love our families, and create lasting memories.

We need to attempt to balance it all in a way that gives God the glory and keeps Him at the focus, whether we have one event this season or twenty. You and your family may be extroverts who LOVE to go all out during this time of the year, seeing as many people as possible and soaking in all the beauty there is to find. Or maybe you're more introverted and would rather stay home playing games or making a special meal together. Guess what? That's all wonderful! Holidays are about embracing the way God created YOU to celebrate while remaining grateful, not guilty.

Colossians 2:7 says "Let your roots grow down into Him and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness."

A grateful heart doesn't come from a perfectly built schedule but from being deeply rooted in God. When we put God first and fill up with His Word, we can look at this season as a time to be with the people He has put in our lives and allow the gratitude in our hearts to overflow into our activities - without expecting perfection.

Here are a few challenges for you to consider this year:

Does your holiday schedule reflect your personality style? How can you make small changes to embrace the season in a way that honors the way God made YOU?
Brainstorm with your family about a few ways you can be intentional about honoring the people involved in your holiday activities instead of just jumping from one task to the next.
Focus on quality over quantity and truly focus on God, even for just 5 minutes every morning as you hand Him your agenda and pray for His will to be done.

I’m praying today that you find those moments with God to quiet the shouts of should, hear His voice above the noise, and move forward in the work He has assigned you with grace and joy.