Have Yourself a Very Patient Christmas
The holidays are a time of joy, family, celebrating, Hallmark movies, and Christmas magic. But it can also be a time that tries my patience like no other. Holiday traffic, crowded shopping malls, long lines at the post office, trying to find a parking spot at the grocery store, crazy family drama - the list goes on and on. Pretty soon, I’m exhausted and cranky, snapping at the checkout girl or stressing about a gift I still need to get. I can turn into quite the Scrooge if I’m not careful.
Maybe you also struggle with patience during the holidays, or throughout the rest of the year. It can be easy to let our stress take over and to get angry when things aren’t going our way. But instead of getting caught up in trying to have the perfect Christmas, we can rest in the hope and peace that Jesus provides.
Colossians 3:12 says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Oh, how tempting it is to get frustrated during the holidays. We have our agendas and lists of things we need to get. And we usually have an idea of how our Christmas should be, no matter how realistic that image is. When something threatens that idea (whether it’s a busy store or a family member we don’t want to see), we tend to feel justified in getting angry or stressed. But as Christians, we are called to be the opposite of the world. We are ambassadors of Christ.
Every time you interact with someone, you have the opportunity to show them the love of Jesus. Instead of getting angry when the line is long and you’ve got a holiday party to get to, take a moment and pray for the people who are probably feeling just as stressed as you. Strike up a conversation with the person behind you. Offer a smile and ask how the cashier is doing. Maybe tip the frazzled barista a little extra or turn on some worship music when you’re stuck in traffic. And when you feel like rehashing the same problems with family members, take a moment and ask God to help heal old wounds and to help you forgive them.
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” -Colossians 3:13
We love because He first loved us. And we are patient with others because God is extremely patient with us. Since so many people are impatient during the holidays, our patience can make all the difference to the people we see this season. Honestly, the things we get stressed about really aren’t that important. The decorations, the food, the pictures - it’s all nice, but the most important thing is the hope Jesus brought when He came to earth. No amount of Christmas chaos can change that.
Are you letting the expectations and annoyances of the world make you short-tempered? Or is your attitude reflecting the hope and peace you have in Christ? What if you made a conscious decision to be more patient this Christmas? What if you let go of the agenda you have in your mind and invite God to show up how He wants to this year? That might mean saying yes to less things this Christmas. Maybe you don’t do presents for everyone or you agree to stay home instead of traveling.
But whatever your holidays look like, remember that the perfect Christmas already happened when the Son of God was born. We don’t have to strive to make everything right because Jesus did it for us. We get to experience a relationship with Him every day of the year, and when we view everything in light of that gift, the little things that annoy us don’t matter as much. So, take a deep breath. Jesus has already overcome the world.
What are some ways you can practice patience this Christmas? Share with us in the comments below!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abbie is a native Mississippian who now calls Nashville, TN home. She works as a writer for Ramsey Solutions and enjoys reading, traveling, laughing, and playing with her corgi, Eudora, in her spare time. You can find more of her writing at abbiewalker.com.