The Christmas season is widely known as one of joy. And as wonderful as this is, it can often feel like a burden especially when we don't feel particularly happy, as if the whole season is screaming at us, "it's Christmas, you're not allowed to be sad!"
But joy isn't just about feeling happy or turning our frown upside-down. As the Bible Project writers put it, "Joy is an attitude God's people adopt not because of happy circumstances but because of their hope in God's love and promise." And his promise, as we hear repeatedly throughout the Christmas story, is to always be with us and to bring the whole world, including our deepest struggles, under his good reign. So we can have constant joy because we know that God's presence, his reign, and his goodness are constant even when life is not good.
Choosing this joy is not the same thing as suppressing our sadness or ignoring our pain. It's actually what allows us to honestly express our grief without being overwhelmed by it because we know our sorrow does not have the final word! We can, as the apostle Paul says, be sorrowful yet always rejoicing (2 Cor 6:10).
So you have permission to be sorrowful in this season! And you have reason to rejoice! Are you allowing yourself to express your grief before God in this season while still choosing to celebrate his goodness and the everyday gifts he has brought into your life?
This is what we want to live out together as a church this week as we continue the simple practice of SAVOURING God's gifts that we began in our service yesterday. It can be easy to go through this season and take for granted all the things we naturally enjoy about Christmas – the lights, decorations, movies, parties, baking, family time, etc. But this week, we want to take time to intentionally appreciate and give thanks to God for these gifts, and others, as a practical way of tasting and seeing that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).
- Each day this week, consider praying the Examen prayer at the end of your day as a way of savouring God's presence and gifts to you that day. If you're not familiar with the Examen, it's a simple prayer where you play back your day in your mind and notice where God has been with you and working in your life throughout your day. You can find a sample below.
- This week, try to have at least one meal each day where you eat your food slowly and focus on savouring and enjoying it, remembering that God gave us taste buds so we could delight in food! Make a point of being undistracted during this meal by turning the TV off and/or putting your phone away so you can be fully attentive and grateful to God as you eat.
- Take some time this week to enjoy an activity with your family or a group of friends and spend time talking about it afterwards. For example, watch a movie together and take time to linger with each other afterwards to share your favourite parts and what made you laugh.
- At some point this week, tell someone about one of the gifts you've experienced from God recently as a way of savouring it and enjoying it with them.
- Enjoy some form of art this week – like a painting, poem, song, or film – and take time to really appreciate it with God instead of just taking a quick glance and moving on to the next thing.
- Singing is one of the oldest ways that God's people have recounted and relished his goodness in their lives. Take time to read the passages below and consider how you could make singing part of your own response to God's goodness in your life beyond just singing in church.
- Exodus 14-15
- 1 Samuel 1-2:10
- Luke 1-2:40. Notice how many times people spontaneously break out in a song throughout this story!
Sample Examen
1. Take a moment to relax, breathe deeply, and remember God's presence with you. Notice any distracting thoughts darting through your mind. Without feeling bad about them, acknowledge these thoughts to God and see if you can turn the volume down on them for the time being.
2. Begin to play back your day in your mind, noticing any moments that stand out to you.
3. As you do this, try to identify the moments where you felt most glad (maybe you laughed, or smiled, or felt your heart race with excitement) – moments that felt like a small gift from God. Choose one of these moments and imagine holding it in your hand, turning it over, and taking time to admire it and enjoy it. Thank God for this gift you received from him today.
4. Now try to identify the moments in your day where you felt most discouraged or distant from God. Choose one of these moments and speak with God, telling him how you feel about it.
5. Finally, talk to God about one area in your life where you need his help in your life right now, maybe specifically for tomorrow. Ask for his grace and presence with you as you step into the day ahead.
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