Holiday Devotions for the Distracted HeartSample

The Distraction of Darkness 

Putting up a Christmas tree is one of my treasured holiday traditions. I have fond memories of going to a local tree farm when I was a child, trudging through the snow in search of the perfect evergreen, then relaxing around a fire pit with a cup of hot chocolate. 

My husband and I started this same tradition with our children. After a few expeditions to cut our family tree, we transitioned to an artificial tree for safety and convenience. At first, we began with the old-fashioned kind that required weaving strings of lights through the branches just as you would on a real tree. Then we graduated to a pre-lit tree, making the process much easier. 

I remember one year when December arrived. The air was filled with the familiar carols and the scent of buttery sugar cookies fresh from the oven. Calendars were jam-packed with notes about parties, programs, and other festivities we didn’t want to miss. This delayed our tree decorating, but we weren’t concerned because we had purchased a pre-lit tree. 

Imagine my frustration when we turned on the tree and noticed one dark space, right in the middle. An entire section of lights had burned out. This was an annoying inconvenience because we could not decorate the tree until these lights were fixed. I needed to purchase a string of lights to lace through the dark section. I didn’t have time to do this right away. So for about a week, I turned on the lights of the undecorated tree.

In the early morning hours, I’d sit and do my devotions in the cozy atmosphere created by the sparkling lights. On one of those days, the dark spot became more ominous. I stared at it while I prayed for friends who had recently experienced loss and others who were fighting life-threatening diseases or facing difficult life transitions. As I prayed for strength and peace, it became poignantly obvious that not everyone is feeling the nostalgic warmth of the Christmas season. In fact, the very decorations, lights, and music that brought joy and comfort to my Christmas season could trigger painful memories for others.   

In a season when we are rejoicing in the birth of Jesus Christ, the light of the world, many hearts are shrouded with darkness, especially after the year we have just experienced. Songs of joy have been replaced with mournful melodies. Their calendars aren’t crowded with holiday festivities and concerts but replaced with doctor’s appointments and medication schedules. Instead of feeling the comfort of family, there is a haunting heartache that perpetuates loneliness and sadness even when surrounded by loved ones. 

John 1 reminds us that “In Jesus was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, who came to bring light to a dark world. His light brings compassion to the hurting, healing to the sick, comfort to the grieving, hope to the disheartened, and salvation to the lost. 

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

It is the season when we celebrate your birth. Thank you for reminders, like burnt-out lights, that help us realize how often we worry about the unimportant. Comfort and strengthen those who are struggling this holiday season and give them hope in the days to come. You are the light of the world. Help us become the bearers of your light in a dark world. 

Amen.

Discussion or Journal Prompt:

If you find joy in this season, may you be a vessel of Christ’s love and light to those who need support and encouragement. If you are struggling, may God supply the strength, hope, and comfort for the challenge or loss that consumes you.