One of the things that can be the most challenging about the holidays is that while there is so much possibility for delight, joy, connection, and fullness (of both the heart and the belly); for many people, there is also the possibility for grief, anxiety, pain, and loneliness. For many, this holiday will be a remembrance of lost loved ones, or a reminder of family brokenness, or a realization that there is not nearly enough to go around.
As the images of full tables and laughing families fill our screens throughout this season. Many people will have to contend with an alternate reality that is anything but peaceful. In the midst of all of this abundance and thanksgiving, many will be wrestling with the urge to simply run and hide and pray for a way to make time speed up.
If that’s you, I hope to simply reassure you that this is normal. One part of being human is having to contend with the voices that we hear that say, “Be afraid! You’re all alone! This is hopeless. There’s not going to be enough.” Around this time of year, it can feel like there are no other options except to tune into the frequencies of fear and allow those voices and visions of scarcity and sorrow to remain on repeat.
But today, I want to share a different voice with you. You see in the same way, there is a perspective that you can take, and a voice that you can listen to that speaks a different message. This voice says, “Don’t be afraid little one, I love you, I see you, and I’m going to take care of you.” This is the voice of our Father in Heaven.
Jesus came into the world to cut through the noise and proclaim loudly that voice to all people. Listen to what Jesus says here in Matthew 6:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
The answer is obvious. You are! You aren’t like a bird or a flower… you’re much more than that, you’re a child of God. You’re made in His image, and He loves you dearly. So my hope for you this thanksgiving is that no matter what table you find yourself at, and no matter what type of holiday meal you find yourself eating… at the end, when almost everything has been consumed, I hope you find one more piece of the meal to chew on, and that is: a piece of peace.
This peace isn’t the kind that comes from a family that gets along perfectly, or from eating delicious food, or from having stories of success to share with others… its the peace that comes from knowing that you have someone on your side, in your corner, who is powerful, and present, and who cares about you deeply. The Bible tells us a simple but profound story: God is for us, God is with us, and God is in us.
Because of this news, you can ask for whatever you need in any situation and trust that your Father in Heaven is working out the details. Be blessed today!
The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5b-7
Jesse Dukes MA