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Struggling With Christmas?

“He is... acquainted with Grief”
Isaiah 53:3

Christmas Day may be over but Christmas can still be a difficult time, especially when you’ve lost a loved one. The sounds and sights that once brought you such joy now remind you of them, and reinforce your sense of loss. There’s no magic formula; grief is a process you must walk through, and it takes time. Here are some personal thoughts that might help: Try to keep things in perspective: Christmas is only one day out of 365, today is a new day. You can do anything for 24 hours because God promised that '... your strength will equal your days' (Deut 33:25). Check and see if there’s a needy family or a lonely neighbor who’d enjoy spending an hour with you. Reaching out is difficult - but it brings healing. Don’t accept the myth that everybody else is having ‘a perfect Christmas’ while you struggle. The truth is, even for Christians, Jesus’ birth gets eclipsed by unrealistic demands and the pressures of shopping, entertaining and gift-giving, and today, gift returns. Why do you think we’re so relieved when it’s all over? Don’t maintain old traditions if they make you feel worse. Create new ones that work for you now - you might even want to keep them. Look for someone today who also has lost a loved one – do something with them.  The loneliest days of Christmas are the days after Christmas.