It's the holidays. That brings a multitude of emotions to the table, depending on your circumstances. But one thing, I have found, is pretty consistent: Our ability to put on a smile simply because it is the holidays, regardless of the storm that's brewing underneath.
We pretend we have it all together. We pretend our circumstances are better than they really are because we all want that great time of celebration just like we see in the movies and on TV.
If you know me, you know I'm not a fan of this...especially as of late. I'm pretty much over pretending and want to encourage others to create a culture of honesty and transparency. A culture where the perfect Christmas means a bunch of broken people coming together and being filled with joy because of what their brokenness means, instead of pretending to be filled with joy in spite of it.
What a better time of year to celebrate how messed up we all are? The whole point of the Christmas celebration is that a Savior had to come save our messed up lives, so why not embrace that?
If we're honest with ourselves and with each other, we'll be able to celebrate in the best way possible. We'll celebrate by bringing our messes to Him and loving one another with grace because we're just as screwed up as the next person and because we all need a Savior just as badly as everyone else.
I don't know your situation. Like me, you could be in the throws of medical and personal issues this Christmas. You could be processing a difficult diagnosis, struggling to save your marriage, dealing with kid issues, trying to overcome an addiction, struggling financially, wrestling with God about an obedience issue, missing a loved one that you lost, or dealing with about a million other things...
If you've got anything going on that's bogging you down and making the end of this year anything less than perfect (and you all know that you do), know these truths this Christmas:
No one is exempt.
No one's life is truly perfect.
We all have our stresses and issues.
We all lead messy lives that are really hard.
And that is exactly the point. That's why we even have a Christmas to celebrate in the first place.
So celebrate your Christmas in all of your screwed up glory and let others do the same. Deal with your junk and love on others while they work on theirs, all the while knowing that 2000 years ago, a baby was born in a not-yet-famous little town in order to save you and those around you because of how broken you would be. Know that you don't have to pretend that everything is perfect because He came to set the record right and He loves us and pursues us in the midst of our messes.
Merry non-perfect Christmas to all of you, my friends! May you have a fabulous time celebrating what your Savior did for you back then and is doing for you today. May you bring all of your worries and stresses to His feet this Christmas and embrace the "Reason for the Season" for all that He is worth.
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
~ Luke 2: 9-10
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