Grief Bites: Hope for the HolidaysSample

Is joy possible during the holiday season...especially in the midst of intense grief? Genuine joy is definitely possible during grief! There is a difference between happiness and a hope-filled joy. Happiness can be contingent on emotions, thoughts, circumstances, and beliefs. Hope-filled joy is obtained by realizing how much our Father God loves us, basking in His goodness, and entering into His perfect peace, loving encouragement, and rest. It's realizing that God has a plan for your heartache, as well as your life, and knowing He never wastes a hurt. Ultimately, it's realizing that the joy of the holidays is found exclusively in Him! Pre-grief, I thought that the holidays were joy-filled due to planning and having the "perfect" holidays with family and friends. It was only after grief I found that the holidays purest joy is only found in God. God is the truest meaning for, and of, the holidays. Thanksgiving is not just a day where we give thanks for loved ones and our earthly blessings...Thanksgiving is a day of great thanks because of how incredibly thankful we are to have a God who loves and adores us! We are thankful for all He is doing in our hearts and our lives, thankful for the eternal treasure He is building in our very souls, and thankful that we have the truest and most beautiful friendship with Him! Realizing that God is preparing a place for us in eternity, and Heaven holds our loved ones and a greater and more meaningful treasure for us is also a great reason for thankfulness. Christmas isn't primarily about spending time with loved ones, decorating our trees and homes, singing Christmas carols, baking, or watching Christmas specials on TV...Christmas in the purest form is about our Savior who left the glory of Heaven (can you imagine?) so that He could become human to save our very souls...just so He could have an exclusive, intimate relationship with us! To leave all of the glory and adoration of Heaven—sheer perfection, joy, and wholeness with 24/7 adoration of angels—to create a special holiday called Christmas, so we could freely come to Him and have access to a close relationship with Him, completely blows my mind! This causes me to want to focus on the true Christmas story, the beautiful Christmas story that offers incredible hope! And it causes me to want to love and encourage others in the ways He loves and encourages me. As He has so lovingly given to each of us, I try to remember to lovingly give to others during the holidays, too, through offering loved ones around me the gifts of love, encouragement, special memories, and acts of service to show them how grateful I truly am for them. Think about how you can invest in your family and friends this holiday season. It will help to lighten your heavy heart, and allow you to bless another person's heart in the process. When I think of the true meaning of Christmas, it beckons me to spend the Christmas season seeking after God's heart, celebrating the joy that is available through Him, and being more aware of who I can share His love to and with. It may not completely take away the present heartache, but it does have the power to fill all believers with genuine joy as we realize the incredible sacrifices God has made for mankind...just so He can have a sincere, loving, and true friendship with us! Realizing genuine joy is obtainable, even in the midst of hardship, is a gift that only God can create in our hearts. Today, ask God to give you the blessed gift of joy and ask Him to make this real in experience to you throughout the holiday season. Consider asking God who you can bless this holiday season, too, through your love and encouragement. Prayer: "Heavenly Father, thank You so much for everything You have done for my family and me—past, present, and future—and thank You for all You will always continue to do for us, too! Please fill our hearts with Your supernatural joy! Help us to feel Your joy radiating in our hearts this holiday season. Make Your presence so known, as well as Your love, hope, encouragement and comfort! I praise You that we can experience godly joy even though some are in such great heartache and pain. Whenever we are feeling down or discouraged this holiday season, fill our hearts with Your love and presence! Fill us fresh with HOPE! Help each of us to also be an instrument of encouragement, hope, love, joy, and peace to all who You place in our paths. We love You, Lord! In Jesus Name, Amen." This devotional © 2015 by Kim Niles/Grief Bites. All rights reserved. Used by permission.