• Discovering Joy (A Christmas Devotional)

    By: Kristen L. McNulty

    Reprint rights available on request. Email the author at kristenmcnulty@hotmail.com.

    For many, especially this year, the idea of finding joy at Christmas seems absolutely ludacris. A season of joy is hard to comprehend when our world is facing so much uncertainty, fear and loss due to the pandemic we find ourselves in. And a season of joy is hard to comprehend when you look at your life circumstances and they are less than merry.

    If that's the boat you find yourself in, I completely understand. Five years ago this December I lost my grandfather, who was a huge part of my daily life. Two years ago this December I was in and out of the hospital and doctors offices and felt quite weak and sick after two surgeries and a major health scare and the future was very uncertain. This Christmas season a member of my immediate family is battling cancer and right now was forced to travel into a COVID hot zone in order to have surgery and I can’t be there with them. All that to say, I'm well acquainted with facing a Christmas season in times of pain, fear and heartbreaking loss. But through all of these experiences I've learned something and that is: where happiness might be missing because of what is happening in my life, joy is a different gift altogether.

    Joy Is a Choice


    Joy is a choice to look past our circumstances and celebrate the big picture. Joy is a gift God gives to His people when we walk with Him. Joy is also the message that the angels gave to the shepherds on that very first Christmas, who themselves weren't living in ideal conditions at the time.

    Let's read what the angels said in Luke 2:

    "That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. 'Don’t be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.'"  Luke 2:8-12 

    The good news that was meant to bring joy was the announcement of the birth of Jesus. The message of Christmas isn't that life will be perfect, that we won't experience pain or that we will never go through loss. The message of Christmas is that even when this life is not perfect, we don't go through it alone. God came down to earth on that very first Christmas morning and through Jesus we can have a relationship with God that brings not only eternal life after this one, but also right here and right now it brings peace when life is chaotic, comfort when we are grieving and joy in times where happiness eludes us. 

    What Jesus' Birth and Death Means


    Let us, this season, take the time to remember what Jesus' birth and His death means for us, it means:

    We can find joy even in the sadness of the loss of a loved one, knowing that the separation we feel is only temporary.

    We can find joy even when we are hurting, knowing that Jesus came to earth in order to establish a relationship between you and I, meaning no matter what we go through, we don't go through it alone. We can find joy even when the gifts aren't plentiful under the tree, knowing that the gift giving we express to one another each year are mere reflections of the love of our Father God, who already gave us the greatest gift we could have ever been given in His Son and sharing His love is the greatest gift we can give someone else. 

    We can find joy even when we are forced to be apart from family this year, knowing that what we are experiencing is not at all unlike the first Christmas where many of the people who ended up rejoicing together were strangers far from home.

    Finding Joy No Matter What Life Looks Like


    Let this be an encouragement to you this Christmas to make a point of finding joy no matter what life is looking like right now. Put aside time to read the Christmas story and remind yourself why the message of Christmas is a joyful one. Look for other ways to show love to those around you, even if it means getting creative. Stop and consider how you can bless those around you who you know are hurting. And above all, seek out time with the Prince of Peace and Wonderful Counsellor who is the very reason why we celebrate this season. When we do, we can discover the joy that invaded the lives of those who partook of that very first Christmas and it can change how we live and experience this one now.

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