When your heart is heavy with sadness or sorrow, the last thing you want to do is celebrate the holidays. The carols and bells, the tinsel and evergreens, serve only to remind you of the burden weighing so heavily on your spirit. While you weep, wresting with the realities of life without the one you love, or the pain you experience from chronic illness each day, or caregiving for those who are suffering, the world goes right on with their celebrations. Rather than being times of family togetherness, sharing and thanksgiving, holidays can bring feelings of sadness, loss, and emptiness. This Christmas, God has promised to walk with you, steadying your feet and imparting a new song of hope in your heart. He wants to give you a reason to celebrate. Love is the gift of Christmas, the gift of a loving God who embraces us when grief and hurt seem to push Him away. Love is the gift of Christmas, who understands everything you are going through. Love is the gift of Christmas. God’s love gift to you this Christmas is Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world, that He gave us His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). I will never forget the day at the church I was attending when I was eleven years old. I felt so alone and did not believe that anyone cared or loved me but then I heard about the baby in the manger named Jesus. I heard that He not only was to be born but He went to the cross for my sins and the sins of the whole world which made me understand that He understood suffering. I heard that Jesus loved me and He had a plan for my life and that He would be all that I needed in the good and not so good times. I learned that day that the scriptures would guide me and I could trust Him. I heard that as I confessed my sins to him, he would forgive me. I heard that I had the promise of heaven. I will receive many gifts this Christmas but there is one gift I want more than any other gift. All I want for Christmas is Jesus! He has been my constant companion and He has never failed me yet, Love is the Christmas gift that God wants to give you. All you have to do is receive the gift of Jesus, and it is free. He is only a prayer away. May your Christmas be filled with hope and meaning as you experience His love.
From all of us at Spiritual Care Support Ministries we wish you a Blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with Hope.