Less Baggage, More FreedomSample

Nine months is a long time to sit in silence. But, if you prepare for something during that time, you can accomplish a lot. In the nine months before his son's birth, Zechariah prepares his heart, just as his son would go before the Messiah and prepare the way for Him.

Here's the third lesson I want you to take away from this Plan. God believes that preparation matters and His preparation for us is never in vain.

Luke 1 tells us that everyone rejoiced with Elizabeth when she gave birth to a son. As was customary, their family planned to name him Zechariah after his father.

But Elizabeth protested. "No, he will be called John." While Zechariah could not talk, my hunch is that he had come home and written down what he saw and heard from Gabriel.

However, the people around her were shocked, as none of their relatives had that name. So they motioned to Zechariah to find out what he wanted him to be called. Zechariah asked for something to write with, and he wrote four words. "His name is John."

The text tells us that everyone was amazed. Immediately, Zechariah opened his mouth and began to praise God. Nine months and not a single word. Can you imagine not speaking from January 1 until sometime in October?!

The first thing that flowed out of Zechariah's mouth was praise to God. Zechariah's first word was a sign of his repentance and obedience. He was ready. The waiting and silence transformed him. I think Zechariah started praising God while waiting for his son's birth, which is why he kept praising God when he regained his ability to speak.

I have a suggestion. If Christmas is a loud and busy season for you, you might need to slow down and practice silence. If you're thinking, "There's no way I could slow down or be silent—there's too much happening," then perhaps you need to cancel something. God is not going to shout over your loud and busy life. If you don't pay attention, you may miss Him at work.

For some people, the Christmas season can be quiet, maybe even lonely. If Christmas is a quiet and lonely time for you, your greatest need might be to listen and draw near to God AND others. Your next step might be to resist the temptation to isolate.

This holiday season, I wrote this Plan to encourage you to stop carrying your baggage and pretending it was no big deal. I want to help you see that God can work in your life during this time of year. Inviting God to help you unpack your disappointment can make room for healing and hope.

After all, God is the One who heals and brings hope. Yet, you have to open up the suitcase and say, "God, I'm ready to start dealing with this."

Less baggage and more freedom. That's what Jesus is offering you this holiday season.

It's been an honor to go on this journey with you over the last few days. Click here to get my help taking more steps towards freedom using my Healing During the Holidays Guide.