Christmas - a joyful time of year!
I can hear the songs of Christmas joy, and taste the meat pies from my mémère, and the maple-walnut cream pies - and if I close my eyes, I am transported back to hanging tinsel on the tree in remembrance of loved ones who have died, I remember waiting up, knowing that the next morning would be magical.
As I think back on those times, I consider the present days of life in which I find myself. I struggle with joy, and hope. I miss certain things about Christmas from the years past and yet it is not for mankind to dwell in the past, but to find hope in the present, and blessings in the future for strength no matter what the situation.
The holidays are a time of joy, and forgiveness, yet for many people, lonliness, isolation, and pain are very real. Some people will be alone for the holidays, others will desire to be alone,, and some will find themselves in the hospital, or grieving the death of a loved one just before the season- During the holidays, joy should abound, and for many, silent suffering is ringing loudly inside - and no one knows it. This Christmas, people may be hopeful for reconciliation, or they may be missing a loved one, but whatever is happening, I know that it can be a difficult time to process intense emotions.
How can we find joy in the midst of sorrow? Many people ask this question, and yet the question takes a new flavor for anyone struggling with PTSD, or MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) or GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) or….
The truth is plain - we have all struggled during the holidays, being joyful, expressing thanksgiving, and yet it is precisely what we need to do in order to help us walk well. The Bible gives us glimpses into many individuals who struggled with suffering, depression, agony, and yet were able to find victory in Jesus through the circumstances. The Bible has examined suffering in depth, in Isaiah 53:3 we read these words about Jesus, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not” ESV).
The Scripture also says this, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (see Nehemiah 8:10). God will bring strength and joy in the suffering that we will face. The Bible discusses the understanding of joy over 400 times. We can have joy in the suffering, especially during this amazing and beautiful season of Christmas.
Below are some things that we can do, we can choose to do to help us in the midst of struggling with joy and suffering during this time, and within our daily lives.
Express gratitude. Don’t dwell in the negative mindset that brings you down to the pit. Give genuine thanksgiving to God and others in your life as you walk through difficulties. I know this is not an easy task - and yet it exactly what we should do. When I don’t feel like giving authentic thanksgiving, I must give authentic thanksgiving in the situation, for the time I have been given. When we are full of thanksgiving, we see things through a different lens. We may not be able to change the situation, but we change in the middle of the situation.
Look beyond our circumstances. I know that sometimes when I allow grief to rent space in my mind that I cannot see beyond myself, and this is precisely what I need to do in order to find joy. Christmas can bring painful and nostalgic memories into our hearts, and it is within those moments we can choose to look beyond our pain and struggles so we can bring a blessing to others.
Show compassion when you don’t feel like it. Sometimes people can frustrate us. Sometimes we frustrate others. How can we potentially break this cycle? Compassion goes a long way, even if we feel like the other person does not deserve our compassion, show it, grant it, offer it freely. This really changes how we think and move ahead.
I understand PTSD, and MDD, and other disorders that disrupt our thought process, and yet I also know that I must put on the full armor of God (Read Ephesians 6). In the passage, Paul tells us to put on the entire, full, and complete armor of God with which we can stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-11). Paul never tells us to take the armor off.
The apostle Paul also discusses taking every thought into captivity or placed under subjection so that it is obedient to Christ (see 2 Corinthians 10:5). We have weapons of warfare which are not fleshly or carnal and they are mighty for the pulling down of every stronghold (2 Corinthians 10:4).
I know that Christmas brings forth many emotions for each one of us. We are celebrating this Christmas without a dear loved one, my mother-in-law Barbara who went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in November 2021. This will be the second Christmas without her presence, and she is missed. Memories flare up, struggles are real, and grief is present. Joy is also available and real, love remains, and Christmas is a time for me to remember and to love.
I have Depression and PTSD - I also have joy. I have to work at it, but it is there.
Is Christmas a joyful time of year for you? It can be.
Know that you are loved, and if I can be of any help please leave a comment and I will get back to you.
Be blessed -