As I drove to work, a few bars of “Joy to the World” began to play on the radio. As its upbeat arrangement attempted to rouse a jolly response, I couldn’t help but admit I wasn’t feeling particularly festive. Christmas is called “the most wonderful time of the year”….But, not for all.
THE PING PONG BALL EFFECT
Sometimes I love the season and revel in the trimmings, twinkling lights, and tunes. Then there are the times I white-knuckle my way through landmines of longing, loss, and loneliness intensified by the holiday season. Emotionally, I can feel like a ping pong ball thwacked back and forth by the paddles of life.
THWACKED BACK AND FORTH BY LIFE
Picture that very first Christmas. Did Mary and Joseph also feel like ping pong balls bounced back and forth by unseen or unknown powers? Not yet married and expecting a baby, Mary and Joseph lived with the aftermath of losing their reputations and highly likely relationships with friends and family. They experienced the loneliness of not belonging anywhere. Did they feel thwacked back and forth by life in a world lost and longing for the Savior?
BOTH HARDSHIP AND BEAUTY
The “trimmings” of that first Christmas were rough. Judean stables often were not made of wood like we see portrayed. More likely it was a damp cave or lower-level annex hewn out of rock. Jesus made his grand entrance not as a magnificent king arriving on the scene, but as an ordinary baby pushed into the world amid Mary’s searing pain. No cradles, soft and warm, but a utilitarian feeding trough surrounded by the ordinary sounds and smells of life (Luke 2:1-20). At the same time, the sky lit up with a multitude of angels (Luke 2:8-20) singing the most beautiful Christmas song announcing the birth of The Savior of the World! What a contrast between the broken and sublime. Hardship and beauty. Both realities coexisted. That realization brings me peace.
JOY COEXISTING WITH SORROW
As I walked into work that day, I felt joyful despite the paddles of life sending me back and forth between happiness and sorrow. You see, true joy can coexist with sorrow because it is not dependent on things always being “good”. Real joy sustained by hope and the deep settled confidence that God is in control of every detail of life. Whether you find yourself reveling or longing, Christmas really is a wonderful time of the year. It’s when we remember that the Lord came. And because He came and conquered sin and death (I Cor. 15:55-57), He will come again. I invite you to experience His joy to the world!
Click to discover how to grab unto God’s joy.