It’s the most wonderful time of year. Celebrating Christmas includes ornaments and lights, holiday food and parties, and gifts and activities with family and friends. What a wonderful time to rejoice in the birth of Jesus who made a way for us to have a relationship with God! It's such a gift and definitely something to celebrate.
Most people find it easy to celebrate holidays and significant milestones, events, and people around special occasions like birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, or new babies. Often, these same people find it harder to celebrate special moments throughout their day. At the end of any given day, it’s hard to remember anything that stands out as worthy of celebrating. We aren’t accustomed to noticing little things that are meaningful or that bring us joy, yet we have so much to be grateful for and celebrate. I want to encourage all of us to make celebrating part of our daily lives beyond Christmas.
In its simplest form, celebrations are about noticing and being intentional to acknowledge an event or experience. Celebrations can also be sacred moments where we are aware of God’s presence as we live our lives. It’s clear in the Bible that God wants His children to stop and remember who He is and what He has done. This alone is reason enough to create a regular practice of celebration.
The theme of remembering is found throughout the Bible and indicates our pattern, as humans, to be forgetful and lack awareness. For example, in the Old Testament, we see God instructing the Israelites to remember His deeds (Psalm 77:11) and commandments (Deuteronomy 8:2). In the New Testament, children of God are reminded of His faithfulness (2 Timothy 2:13) and of the importance of renewing our minds in Christ (Romans 12:2).
Throughout Scripture, there are many verses where God sent someone to help His children remember. 1 Corinthians 4:17 says, “For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.” Paul states in Romans 15:5, “But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given to me from God.” Also Peter clearly stated in 2 Peter 1:12-13, “Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder.”
At the heart of noticing and remembering (aka "celebration") is acknowledging God’s blessings and role in our day-to-day activities whether big or small. We’re pausing for a moment to think about His faithfulness and provision.
Celebration is a natural way to praise God and acknowledge His presence. It reminds us that He is our Creator. I often say, “Thank you, God, for the beautiful flowers,” or “Thank you, God, for the green grass,” with my grandchildren. This may sound so simple, but it’s a beautiful and easy way to share our celebrations with others and point them to Jesus.
When we are intentional to write down (in a journal or notebook) what we are celebrating, it can serve as a tangible reminder that we can trust and depend on our Heavenly Father to meet our needs.
Celebrating at least one thing every day can have a powerful impact on your overall well-being. Beginning this practice may help you:
Spiritually
-Increase awareness of God’s presence
-Create a habit of gratitude and worship
-Deepen your trust in God’s provision
-Expand your dependence on God
Emotionally/Mentally
-Train your brain to focus on what’s positive
-Reduce negative thoughts
-Improve how you see things
-Access the peace you have as God’s child
Physically
-Reduce tension in your body
-Improve your ability to relax
-Make better food choices
-Be more motivated to exercise
Interpersonally
-Increase joy in relationships
-Improve conflict resolution
-Respect others' differences
-Exercise grace and compassion
Beginning a practice to celebrate small and large things you notice throughout your day is a beautiful way to stay in tune with God’s goodness in simple moments. These examples will help you see what you can begin to celebrate.
1. God’s Creation
-The beauty of a sunrise or sunset
-A bird chirping outside your window
-The fragrance of a flower
-The sunshine on your skin
-The crackle of leaves under your feet
“The heavens tell of the glory of God; and their expanse declares the work of His hands.” Psalm 19:1
2. God’s Provision
-Food in your fridge
-A home to live in
-A dependable source of income
-Money to pay monthly expenses
-Clothes to wear
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” James 1:17
3. Connection with Others
-Meaningful conversation with your spouse
-Laughter with a child
-The cooing of a baby
-Encouragement from a friend
-A hug from a loved one
“Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
4. Physical Comforts
-A soft rug under your bare feet
-A warm blanket on a cool evening
-The warmth of hot chocolate/tea/coffee on a cold day
-A cool shower on a hot day
-Clean water to drink
“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
5. Answered Prayers
-Finding lost keys
-Finding a parking spot in a full lot
-Healing from illness
-Financial provision
-Seeing God meeting a need no one else knew about
“I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.” Psalm 9:1
6. Rest in Daily Life
-Alone time listening and talking with God
-Time to read God’s Word
-A restful space
-Margin to stop doing and be still
-Listening to worship music
“Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.” Psalm 46:10
7. Opportunities to Express God’s Love
-Encouraging a friend through text message
-Greeting a stranger with a smile
-Practicing unconditional love in your family
-Extending grace and forgiveness to someone
-Offering practical help to someone in need
“By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.” John 13:35
8. Personal Growth
-Replacing lies with biblical truth
-Noticing what brings up emotions
-Getting curious without judging yourself
-Looking at others through God’s eyes
-Awareness of what’s going on inside yourself
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
Truly there is so much to celebrate. The more you are intentional to notice what’s going on in your day, the more you will see God’s presence and be in awe of His love and grace. Celebrations don’t have to only center on big things, and you don’t have to wait for Christmas or other holidays to celebrate. Begin this practice of daily celebration by writing down at least three things for which you are grateful. Remember that consistency is key to reap the benefits of this practice of celebration.
Photo Credit: ©SWN
Renee Bethel, author of Finding Me: A Woman’s Guide to Learning More About Herself, is a Professional Christian Life Coach and a Certified Enneagram Coach. Her passion is guiding growth-minded Christian women to step into their God-given identity so they can live more authentically and confidently in the freedom of who they are in Christ. If you're ready to change how you view yourself and learn how God sees you, request her resource, Who am I - from God’s Perspective?