‘Tis the season to be thankful and joyous and feel all the fa-la-la that comes with Thanksgiving and Christmas.
But.
What if life has sideswiped your joy and fa-la-la?
What if the Grinch has taken up residence in your home or, even worse, in your heart?
Grief and the Grinch can be partners in the crime of stealing both joy and hope. What do we do when we struggle to find them again?
As I write this, I hear the words … wise men and women still seek him. Jesus was just an ordinary baby, but he changed the world. He is still changing lives … if we seek him. Hope is in knowing who Jesus is in your life. This isn’t a sermon or a quick fix. It’s a way of life. Seeking him when you are worn out from life’s challenges, even when you are curled up in a ball, waiting for life to get better.
I’ve been overwhelmed with the feelings of should’ve, could’ve, and it’s not supposed to be this way. There is nothing like the holidays to amplify the hurts that life brings. I don’t think anyone is exempt from those feelings sometime in life.
I was reading Psalm 27 during my devotions this week. I hurriedly read verses 1-12, but when I got to verses 13 and 14, I felt the need to read the words ever so slowly.
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord: be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. NLT
As I read those words, I felt my heart smile. It has been a season of emotional struggles. I read the notes I had made in the margins of my Bible. 5-22-2011, 9-11-2011, 3-24-2013 and 4-7-2013. Now, 11-16-2023.
All those times were a time of waiting. Did God always answer my prayers the way I wanted? The short answer is no. But … I have seen goodness in the land of the waiting. I have learned to be content even in the midst of what-ifs. Sometimes, I was more content than others.
It was IN THE WAITING that I watched how God was working, and I had found a closer relationship with Him.
Waiting is hard. Life’s challenges can be brutal. The sting of the shards of harsh words is real. Disappointments of unmet expectations create havoc in the mind and sadness in the heart. Again, the holidays seem to hold a megaphone that screams, “It’s not supposed to be this way.”
So, what did I do after I read Psalm 27:13-14?
I started thinking about the joy of the moments in the past few days. A crème brûlée latte coffee date at Bica Café with my friend Debbie. A Collingsworth Family Christmas Concert enjoyed with Chuck and our best friends, Patrice and Ray. Oh, how my heart needed to worship. Each song was like a hug to my heart and a reminder that there is joy in the world … if I seek it.
Photo provided by Janet Hart Leonard
I need to remember to live in the moment. Never underestimate the value of finding joy in the moment. Joy pushes aside the cares that overwhelm my thoughts. Joy beckons me to see beyond the hurt to be aware of the glory of ordinary moments. Joy says, “Look what all you have to be thankful for.”
There’s nothing like a crème brûlée latte coffee from Bica Café. (Photo provided by Janet Hart Leonard)
Now, you need to understand that grief is real, hurt is real, and life is hard, but you do not have to dwell in the muck and yuck of all the not-so-happy emotions.
Because of my faith, I can be confident that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
If I fail to bask in the beauty of ordinary moments … I will lose hope. May you find your fa-la-la and, most of all, your hope this season. Celebrate the gift of those ordinary moments. Then … you will find joy.
Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.