Let’s face it, for so many of us this Holiday season, CHRISTMAS WILL HURT.  The loss of a loved one, a divorce, a relationship broken, a bankruptcy, a job gone terribly wrong, a debilitating sickness, or maybe the worst, depression.  So many of us will not feel joyous or even optimistic as we face the reality of Christmas, but there is hope to heal.  This Christmas could define your days more than any other, but we must be wise and proceed forward even when the pain of Christmas runs deep.

Choose to face your pain and get freedom…

Despair and discouragement are real issues, what will you choose to do with them?

3 Things to Do When Christmas Hurts

1.  Cry For Help  – This means its time to talk about it.  Some of us are very uncomfortable when it comes to talking about our pain, but failure to process our pain correctly can lead to addiction, more depression, and even extreme relational dysfunction.  Maybe its time to let someone help you?  People care, many of them just don’t know you need help.  Maybe this scripture seems counter intuitive but when you ask for help, be confident.

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:16

2.  Seek Out Hope –  One thing is for sure, life is short.  It seems like just yesterday, 30 years ago I was sleeping under by the Christmas tree in my house as a boy.  Time Flies!  Today will pass and tomorrow is a new day.  Before you know it the season will be new and there will come a new Hope.  Extreme hurt allows us to find out where we really put our hope.  Maybe you feel like you can’t hope, Ask God to do something deep in you so he can do something incredible through you.  Where is your hope?  Hope for the future always trumps the pain of the past.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”  Psalm 42:11

3.  Get Desperate for Healing –  One of the most powerful questions Jesus ever asked was, “do you want to be healed?”  When you are at the end of your trying, this is when God usually shows up biggest.  There is no substitute for being totally healed, but it requires total dependence on Jesus.  One thing to remember about your healing: SCARS.  Scars are what remind us of where we have been and how Jesus never once left us.  Jesus has a plan for your complete spiritual, physical, relational and financial healing.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are #healed.”  Isaiah 53:5

My fear in writing this would be that it would come off as a simple formula.  There is no formula, but there is Healing.  Jesus is our #healer. I don’t know how God has in mind to heal you, but He will, he always does.

Josh

December 14th – Jesus is… #HEALER

Josh is the lead pastor at 217church, a multi-site, contemporary church in Mercer County NJ.  217church is a family with small groups in New Jersey and Pennsylvania that meets Sundays in the Hamilton AMC24 Theater 9:30 & 11am and Starplex Cinemas in East Windsor, NJ at 10:15.  Our new East Windsor Campus meets every Sunday.  If you are looking for a church in East Windsor NJ, Lawrenceville NJ, Ewing NJ, Robbinsville NJ, Hightstown NJ, Hamilton NJ, Mercer County, Middlesex County or Bucks County, PA, don’t miss our weekend services. Visit www.217church.com for more information.