Winter Hope

One thing I have learned from my clinical therapy experience is that the phones tend to ring as the cold weather settles in and the rush of the holiday season commences.  There is something about this season, though wonderful, that can usher in feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety and amplify already tense relational and familial circumstances.

I am sure you have felt this at some point in your life…the holiday blues and the winter blahs.  I know I certainly have struggled at points to remain motivated and cheerful, as the days get shorter, the nights get darker, and the air gets colder and wetter.  Some days it just seems more appealing to snuggle under a warm blanket and go to bed early, than to muster up the energy to actually get out of the house and be social.

This year, I struggled to reconcile my excitement and joy over the upcoming holiday season with the devastation I felt in my gut each time I turned to look at the news.  This year, I was acutely sensitive to the fact that while I was preparing to enjoy Christmas with my family other families were in the throes of dealing with unimaginable loss and horrific tragedies that made my stomach turn.  I found myself so engrossed in these stories that I had to turn away from the news altogether.  I felt overwhelmed by the reality of darkness and evil in the world.

When tragedy strikes, where can hope and joy be found?

It was in this place that I felt God reminded me of what the Christmas season is truly about. 

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us”). (Matt. 1:23)

At a time when hope was lost, a Savior was born.  At a time of darkness, light came into the world.  We cannot deny or overlook the brokenness that exists in the world, but we can find hope in the fact that God chooses to be present in the brokenness.  He chooses to enter the mess and the chaos.  His presence reminds us that as long as there is breath, there is hope.  Despite the tragedies and pain we encounter in life, He promises that in all circumstances, He works for the good of those who love Him (Rom. 8:28).  We can stand in confidence that He is able to bring redemption and restoration to even the most broken and hopeless places in our lives.

He is love amid loneliness.  He is joy and strength in the face of depression.  He is our secure refuge when we face fear and insecurity.  He is the hope that things can change, no matter the outlook.

Despite the presence of evil and darkness in the world, each Christmas we are reminded that light triumphs over darkness. We are reminded that God chooses to intervene in our suffering.  And we celebrate that even at the most unexpected times, God moves powerfully in the ordinary moments of our lives and through unsuspected vessels.  After all, He came as a baby.

“The angel said, “Don’t be afraid!  Look!  I bring good news to you – wonderful, joyous news for all people.  Your savior is born today in David’s city.  He is Christ the Lord.  This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-15)