Wonders of His Love: An Advent Devotional Inspired by Christmas CarolsSýnishorn

Deck the Halls

“Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Fa la la la la la la.”

For many people, Christmas starts when the decorations go up. A beautiful evergreen garland is hung on the mantle next to a perfectly trimmed tree while Christmas music plays in the background.

With a warm cup of hot chocolate in hand, it sounds like you are in the ultimate living room, right? So cozy and festive! It’s hard not to get caught up in having a “perfect Christmas.”

With social media, advertisements, and the ease of online shopping, it’s hitting us from every angle. “Make Christmas better when you buy this. Bring cheer to your house if you get this! Buy this, and you’ll be happy!”

Scrolling through Instagram or Facebook, it’s easy to fall into the trap of consumerism. Soon, we start thinking, “I wish I had a bigger budget to spend more on holiday décor. I wish I could buy my kids that new gadget.” If we go down this rabbit hole, we can start to feel pretty ungrateful for our “imperfect” Christmas.

Let’s flip the script this year. Instead of spending money, you don’t have to create a perfect day that might not go as planned; let’s look to Jesus to set the tone for our Christmas. For only God can give us the true fulfillment our souls are craving this year.

Our hearts are not satisfied by the things of this world. But we can find the fullness of joy in His presence. What if we consumed more of Jesus this year instead of more things?

What if we woke up every morning in December and spent at least 15 minutes worshiping God or reading our Bibles? What if we wrote down one thing we were thankful for every day of Advent?

I think our hearts would change. We would no longer be looking toward things or people to satisfy. If we shift our focus heavenward, God will reveal more of himself to us.

When we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts. Challenge your heart this Advent. Where is your focus this Christmas?