Restoring Your Christmas Joy

“Although you have not seen Him you love Him; even though you do not see Him now yet believe in Him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy.” – 1 Peter

Remember the joy we felt as kids on Christmas morning? For weeks, we impatiently waited for the day when we could open gifts and find the toys or games we had really wanted. Sometimes we couldn’t even contain the excitement. It seemed like nothing could break that spell.

But then we became adults with adult worries and responsibilities. We have jobs and households to manage. Days often fly by. And sometimes people or events come to steal that joy.

It’s easy to get caught up in the outside world. We read disturbing stories in the news, like ones about the abortion worker from late-term abortionist LeRoy Carhart’s office who tweeted (and then later deleted) a picture of his Christmas tree with a Sopher clamp on top in place of the angel. (A Sopher clamp is what an abortionist uses to rip apart and pull out a baby.) Or we see the news story that another mother was rushed to the hospital after an abortion at Planned Parenthood.

We may feel that Christmas joy begin to slip away when we realize that, even at this time of year—as we anticipate the most precious baby imaginable—many in the world laugh at the death of babies or are indifferent to their slaughter. Babies mean nothing to them. They are merely an inconvenience or a way to increase revenue.

But we understand the truth. We know that each baby is valuable from the very first moment of creation. We know that all babies are a gift from God.

And we know that Christ was the most precious gift of all. It is for Him that we wait. It is He who brings us joy—a joy we must choose to have despite what goes on around us.

Yes, this year has been difficult. We’ve encountered isolation, a deadly virus, senseless rioting, and election madness.

But these things serve only to detract from what we should focus on—a tiny baby in a manger who has come to save.

He is the joy we should feel. He is the love we should show to others. He is our light and our hope.

So, even if you have been bogged down by shopping and decorating, even if you have forgotten to take time for Christ, and even if you have felt disturbed by recent events, it’s not too late. You still have time to get that childlike joy back! Make the conscious decision to fight for the happiness and joy that Christ wants us all to feel.

Advent is only halfway over. Christmas is two weeks from today. What can you do to prepare yourself for the One who has come to save?

Pray more.
Go to confession.
Spend time with your family.
Read the Bible.
Journal.
Reflect.
Adopt a thankful spirit when you pray.
Find a needy family to adopt.
Pick a name from a giving tree and shop for a gift that will light up someone’s Christmas morning.
Spend time before Christ in Adoration.
Give your time or talents to others.