At this busy time of year, sometimes I find myself switching into endurance mode. I focus on pushing through, on accomplishing goals, on crossing tasks off my to do lists. I tell myself that when the family is all gathered together, when Christmas Day comes, then I’ll be able to relax — right now, there’s work to be done, presents to buy, cards to mail, food to prepare.
And yet… if I have a wonderful Christmas Day but a terrible two weeks leading up to it, is it really worth it? If I focus only on the destination, then I forget to enjoy the journey. And the journey is where life happens.
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I look forward to Christmas every year. It is a time of celebration: music, parties, gifts, great food and time with family and friends. The anticipation of Christmas morning never grows old. Watching the excitement in my own kids as they open their presents brings great joy. Joy was the theme of the first Christmas. The angels told the shepherds to fear not, for they brought “good news of great joy for all people.”
But we live in a broken world. We look around us and we see wars, social unrest, and personal tragedy. How can we have joy when we are surrounded by so much pain?
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