Holy Holidays

“Dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV)

Here is a story about a woman who went through a major life transition a few years ago. She is in her early forties and has no children. She lives alone and works remotely. She is an avid skier. She used to live in an area that was not conducive to skiing, so she moved to a mountainous area with lots of winter snow. She thought that having a ‘fresh start’ would help her heal. But now, a few years in, she has discovered that new locations don’t solve problems. I think her insights may help others, so I am going to paraphrase below:

I used to celebrate the holidays like everyone else--decorating, shopping, posting holiday pictures on social media, traveling, watching classic Christmas movies, going to ugly-sweater parties, eating, drinking, etc. I was raised in a Christian home but stopped going to church as life got busy. My idea of a perfect Christmas day was hitting the slopes and then having a stiff drink by a warm fire. After I moved to Colorado, I did just that for a few years. I found it did not heal the hole in my heart. It felt meaningless. One December, I decided to try something new. I started reading and meditating on one Bible verse each day. I continued to do this after the holidays were over and the new year started. By the time the holidays came around the next year, I realized that my perspective had shifted slightly. I became aware of the sacred around me.

Her story moved me. I recognized that I need to rethink my perspective on Christmas. It isn’t just a ‘merry’ season for gifts, decorations, food, family, and parties. It is a time to become aware of all that is sacred--to remember how Christ humbled Himself to be born as a human.

The holidays are holy, set apart for God’s purposes. It is an opportunity for prayer and purification. I pray that all of us can make time to read and meditate on Scripture, examine our conscience, repent, and prepare our hearts for Jesus. Let us remove from our lives anything that contaminates our body, mind, or spirit. During these holy days, may we continually grow in holiness out of reverence for God.