If you are facing a difficult period or feeling overwhelmed by many tasks, attempt to seek a peaceful location where you can pray and have a conversation with God about your concerns. He cares about it all, the big and the small of this holiday season.
Most of us are in the midst of making our holiday plans. We are busy buying presents, baking cookies, and getting ready for upcoming events and parties, and we can feel that crackle of stress in the air as the weeks ahead get busier and busier.
Christmas is supposed to be a season of peace and joy, but sometimes it gets overlooked. Lately, I’ve been wondering why we only celebrate Christmas for one day. Hanukkah lasts eight days; other countries, like Norway, celebrate Christmas for an entire week. This is the way to do it, to plan and do things one day at a time rather than cramming it all at once. I’m sure this makes things much more relaxed, enjoyable, and meaningful. So, how can we find peace and joy this holiday season? Here are some ideas and prayers to help you find these treasured feelings this holiday season.
Ways to Find Peace
1. Close your eyes and breath.
When you have a moment where you feel overwhelmed, close your eyes, breathe deep breaths, and count to ten. If you are at work, find someplace you can be alone to get away from the issue for just a few minutes. When you are done, your head should feel clearer, and you will feel more centered.
2. Wake up early and spend time with God.
Set your alarm clock for an hour earlier and get up to spend some time reading your Bible and have time with God. There’s something about the house still being quiet, and that makes this time so much more peaceful. It’s just you, your Bible and/or devotional, and a hot cup of coffee or tea, the perfect time to pour your heart out to the Lord.
3. Stay up later and spend time with God.
We all work different schedules, so getting up early may not work for you. Instead, wait until everyone in your house has gone to bed, then read your Bible and spend time with God. The peaceful atmosphere will help calm your heart and mind to reflect on him.
4. Turn off the lights and enjoy the tree.
One of my favorite things to do this time of year is turn off all the lights and look at the Christmas tree. I decorate a three-and-a-half-foot tree with classic Hallmark Illuminations lights and purple decorations.
The lights change color, which makes things very interesting. If I listen to the classic song, “Christmas Time Is Here,” from A Charlie Brown Christmas, the lights change in time to the music. This is one of my favorite traditions every night before I go to bed because to me, it is so peaceful to watch.
5. Pray.
The holidays are joyful, but it’s not always this way for people. I know several people right now who are going through some hard times, and my heart hurts for them. Prayer always makes me feel calmer and more centered.
If you are facing a difficult period or feeling overwhelmed by many tasks, attempt to seek a peaceful location where you can pray and have a conversation with God about your concerns. He cares about it all, the big and the small of this holiday season.
Ways to Find Joy
6. Plan something you enjoy.
During this season, it is important for us to find the joy in it, so plan something you enjoy at least once or twice a week. Binge-watching a favorite show. Going to see a new movie or renting one from home. Spending time on a favorite hobby. Shopping for supplies for a favorite hobby, like scrapbooking or knitting. The possibilities are endless.
7. Live in the moment.
When you are interacting with someone, be in the moment. Put your phone away when you go out to lunch with a friend so you can connect. Pay attention and be an active listener. When the first flakes of snow fly, instead of complaining, enjoy the sight and feel of them. Take a walk in the snow and enjoy the peaceful quiet due to it muting the surrounding sounds.
Spend time with older loved ones and listen to their stories. Enjoy spending time with your kids and grandchildren. Don’t let your mind wander to the next thing on your to-do list or what you need to accomplish at work tomorrow or what’s for dinner tonight. Our lives are temporary and sometimes people are gone before we know it. We don’t want to live with the regret of taking someone for granted and wishing we had more time with them when they aren’t here anymore.
8. Treat yourself.
One of the greatest sources of joy is treating ourselves once in a while. Get a specialty coffee or hot chocolate, treat yourself to lunch at your favorite restaurant, or buy that book you have been wanting to read. Treating ourselves increases our joy and is a great way to sprinkle pockets of happiness into our lives this holiday season.
9. Get involved.
Spend some time getting involved with a church project or an organization that is close to your heart and helping others. This is a great way to make friends and connections while positively impacting someone’s life.
10. Do something nice for someone.
’Tis the season for doing something nice for someone and brightening their day. Bring your coworker a coffee or give them some help on a project. Leave your server a big tip. Slip a Christmas card under your neighbor’s door. Minor acts of kindness can make all the difference to someone.
A Prayer for Peace:
Prayer #1: Dear Lord, I pray for your peace to reign this holiday season. Help me feel your peace when I’m stressed out and being pulled in a thousand different directions. I pray you will help my friends who are struggling. Help them find your peace during these difficult times and let them know you are with them. I ask that you provide opportunities to reach out to them and tell them about the peace I have found in you so that my testimony may stir their hearts. In your name, I pray, Amen.
Prayer #2: Dear Lord, I pray for peace this holiday season. We live in a broken world that desperately needs you and to know your love, peace, and grace. I pray for my friends and family and for your peace to fall upon Christians all around the world. In your name, I pray. Amen.
A Prayer for Joy:
Prayer #3: Dear Lord, I pray you will help me find joy this holiday season. Help me not to get caught up in all the hustle and bustle, and help me find the pockets of joy in my life—time with family and friends. I also ask that you help me keep my joy in you. Don’t let me get distracted from the true meaning of Christmas and the sacrifice you gave for all of us. Amen.
Prayer #4: Dear Lord, I ask that you help me keep my eyes on you this holiday season and find my joy in you rather than the consumerism of this holiday. Even in moments when I’m doing all the things that need to get done, meet me where I am, Lord. Whisper to my heart your promises to remind me you are always with me in both the happy and sad moments of this season. I thank you for all you have done for me and my loved ones and for your sacrifice for us on the cross. Amen.
As we go through this season, let us all find moments of peace and joy in our Lord and each other.
