Christmas Joy in a Bleak Midwinter

It’s Christmas. Peace on Earth. As the saying goes, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” But it doesn’t always feel this way. Right?

Christmas can be a painful time of year for many people. It can be hard to find the joy of Christmas when we live in a broken world.

For those who are going through trials, heartache, illness, and other struggles, it can be hard to face the holiday season.

For those who are grieving the death of loved ones, holidays are often very difficult. There are empty chairs at the table. A loved one who has died recently—or many years ago—is still dearly missed.

The past few years have had extra layers of difficulty. A pandemic. Rising costs of living. Wars. A politically divisive time in families and communities. For some people, it may be hard to feel the Christmas joy.

It can be hard to see the beauty or joy when facing a landscape littered with pain.

You may KNOW in your heart there is love and joy and peace still in the picture. But it can be difficult to SEE.

This can be true in nature too. Sometimes, the panoramic views are breathtaking. But other times, the view is hard to see because of the storms.

In nature, beauty is often found in the details. The close up shot.

In winter, color can be hard to find. But winter has her own jewels. Look closely.

If your life feels like a bleak midwinter landscape, you may need to narrow your focus. Look up close for the joy and love.

Christmas joy may be found in helping others, saying thank you, or forgiving someone.

Christmas joy may be felt in taking a walk, calling family, or donating to a charity.

Christmas joy may be seen in children’s eyes, precious photos, or gentle smiles.

Christmas joy may be heard in favorite carols, shared laughter, or whispered prayers.

Christmas joy may be experienced in tears released, songs exhaled, or love remembered.

We can carry grief and joy together during ordinary days and also during holidays. It’s okay to feel the pain and also appreciate the moments of joy and love.

Your Christmas may not always be the colorful, boisterous, carefree season that you long for in your dreams. The landscape of your days may not always be breathtaking. But there can always be beauty.

Look closely. Look for the beauty amidst the bleaker background.

In a popular song, lyrics speak to the darkness. “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appears…From depths of hell your people save and give them victory o’er the grave.”

This Christmas, people long for peace to come. We are mourning here. People are dying. People are hungry and cold. There is war and famine in this world.

Emmanuel means “God with us.” We call God to come be with us. We find the joy of Christmas in knowing that God is with us in our good times but also in our trials. He is with us in our grief and loneliness.

Where is the joy of Christmas for those who are suffering, who are heartbroken, who are grieving? Where is the joy of Christmas in a broken world?

The answer is that the joy of Christmas lies right in the middle of all this pain and misery.

Sometimes the larger picture can appear bleak. Our light may come from a smaller moment, like a candle in the dark. This Christmas hang on to those moments and see the beauty. Feel the love in our thankfulness for a small baby and our hope for a peaceful tomorrow.

May you find your moments of peace and joy this season even in difficult times.