10 Things to Be Thankful for When You Dread the Holidays
Thanksgiving and Christmas may be a difficult time of the year, bringing increased stress and anxiety.
For some, it highlights a sense of isolation or pain due to the loss of a loved one or of not having family nearby.
Tidings of Comfort and Joy
Amidst our tears and fears, the exciting truth is you and I may face this time of the year with hope in our heart. The Lord Jesus loves us and has promised to always be with us.
Struggles:
What should you get for Suzie? Uncle Ron?
You’re short on finances and feel compelled to meet expectations of family or friends, who think it’s okay to go into debt to buy everyone expensive gifts.
Solution:
As you move forward, be mindful of the wonderful gifts you enjoy every day.
Struggles:
You’re exhausted and can barely think straight.
How can you get everything done in time?
What will give you encouragement so you are a blessing to others?
Solution:
Give yourself permission to enjoy this time. When you feel stressed, stop and breathe deeply. Relax and do something fun.
Break your tasks into manageable goals interspersed with things to make you laugh and be thankful for.
Struggles:
Perhaps you are grieving the death of a beloved friend or spouse. Firsts are always painful. Tears are near the surface.
What if no one invites you to dinner and you have to face what should be a time for family and friends all alone?
Or what if you’re invited to a party and have to go alone?
Solution:
Even though grieving, seek to enjoy and give thanks for those around you.
If you stress out about receiving a special invitation, you will move into fear. If you don’t get that special invitation, you will feel rejected, discouraged and depressed.
Be proactive. Volunteer to help serve Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner at a local homeless shelter. Bake cookies and take to the fire station.
Bless someone who doesn’t have family by inviting them for dinner or for dessert. Reach out to someone else; it doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive to be a special time.
Celebrate life rather than self-isolate.
Struggles:
You’ve heard suicides increase during this time of year and you feel afraid.
Solution:
Remember the old Viking saying – “This too shall pass.” Don’t focus on what you don’t have or feelings of fear or depression. Be mindful of your blessings. Start a thanksgiving journal.
Think of what will help you feel more connected and grateful. Call a friend and invite them out for coffee.
Take a walk. Paint a picture. Put on Handel’s Messiah. Dance or sing about God’s love. Bake a pie.
There is much to be grateful for. I know how difficult it is to face the Holiday’s with feelings of sadness, regret, loss, and loneliness.
It is also difficult when your family is on the other side of the country or isn’t interested in family times.
Let’s join together and look for opportunities to give thanks in the midst of our pain!
1. The gift of life. Today is a gift. Let's be intentional and give thanks for this moment. We don't have to be thankful for tomorrow or even the next moment. Let's just give thanks in this moment, even if tears are streaming down our face.
2. Family & friends. Even when you feel unloved, the Lord sees and cares.
3. Beauty of Creation. Go outside and enjoy the wonder of a starry night; feel the snow kissing your cheeks. Enjoy the majesty of a mighty river, a baby’s smile, the resilience of flowers pushing through the snow.
4. Sight. The ability to see your child’s face, the face of a loved one, or the beauty of a tree or flower. If you are blind, the ability to touch your loved one’s face, feel the roughness of the bark, or the smooth texture of a flower.
5. Hearing. The ability to listen to a symphony or to the song of birds. If you are deaf – the ability to feel vibrations.
6. The Word of God. Enjoy the Christmas story. Celebrate the birth of Christ and the beauty of His life.
7. Jesus Christ became man. He demonstrates the Heavenly Father's heart of love. Jesus understands your pain, your fears, your loneliness. He weeps with you.
8. Calvary. Jesus died in your place, taking your sin and shame on Himself so you could be set free to experience relationship with the Father.
9. The empty tomb. Christ arose! Because He lives, you and I may celebrate life with the hope of being reunited with our loved ones.
10. Your hope is Jesus Christ. Your hope is not in circumstances, wealth, education, or success. Jesus loves you regardless of success or failure. Bask in that wonderful truth and sing “Jesus loves me”.
What are you thankful for this Holiday season? Share something that encourages you below!
I’m thankful the Lord Jesus took upon Himself all the sin and all the shame of humanity–including mine–when He died on the Cross, and He rose having conquered sin and vanquished shame.
Amen! Now we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. It is good to be so deeply loved and cared for by our Beloved Lord. Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving.
Thank you, Barbara. So many people need to hear this message again and again. Their pain goes deep and often holidays were times of trauma that isn’t clearly remembered but still hurts with so many reminders in the form of music, decorations, and activities.
Thank you, Melanie! That is so very true. Memories are locked into our hippocampus and smells, sounds, sights can trigger the amygdala so the person is suddenly thrown into flight/fight mode – swamped with fear. To the brain, those feelings of fear and helplessness feel more real than the present as pains from the past are triggered.
It is so wonderful Jesus is the Healer of the broken hearts. I am deeply grateful to Him for delivering me from so many of those reactions that controlled me. Knowing Him and learning to walk with gratitude – hand in hand with our Beloved Redeemer is incredibly freeing. He has conquered every dragon, every demon, every evil.
May those you work with find joy in His presence during this time. Isn’t it wonderful that often He simply holds us to His heart? A precious place to be. My precious friend, I pray you have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebrating our Beloved Saviour.