Adoring Him

“As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.” Psalm 71:14

I got myself into such a tizzy of anxiety yesterday that my Mom stopped me mid-sentence and prayed for me right then and there. I am not normally an anxious person. I am laid back and generally chill, but my current situations, paired with the busyness of the holidays, are getting the best of me. Have you ever felt that way? I don’t know about you but I am feeling the stress of Christmas and life as we all know it. 

I don’t think Christmas was ever intended to be this way.

There has yet to be a moment of my life where something has not vied for my attention, and it only seems magnified around this time of year. Whether it be our plans, situations, obligations, thoughts, or the endless information coming at us through social media and the Internet, there is always something to grab our attention, isn’t there?

It is no coincidence that the busiest and generally most stressful time of the year is Christmas time. Satan does that, you know. He will take what God does and counterfeit it to take our attention away from Christ. He distorts all good things, and he will do what it takes to make sure we are stressed and distracted in a season that was intended to be all about rejoicing in the birth of our Savior.

In the midst of these distractions and this crazy season, I forget there is one thing that matters most. Jesus. He is the one constant in a sea of changing situations that pounds on our hearts like waves on a rocky shore. 

When I am struggling and stressed, I know that my focus is off Christ. I forget that I am to cast my anxieties upon him (1 Peter 5:7), and that all the things in my life are working toward my good and His glory (Romans 8:28). I forget that I can trust Him, and I don’t have to rely on my own simple understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). I forget that I can rest in Him (Matthew 11:28), and that He restores my soul (Psalm 23:3). I forget that the season is all about adoring Him. 

When we shift our focus back to the adoration of Christ, it may not immediately “fix” all our problems, and I can guarantee that life will still be whirling around us at breakneck speed. But, I can also guarantee that when we return our focus to Christ, we will receive peace and joy to our weary hearts.

Ann Voskamp says it beautifully, “The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.”

When I finally slow down and allow the Lord to begin to mend my heart and calm me down, I quickly realize that all the longing and anxiety I have felt is simply a cry from my heart for more Jesus. Our souls yearn for the coming of Christ, whether we realize it or not, and I must remember, especially this time of year, that He has come. Jesus is here! 

We feed our anxieties and stresses as we rush around, afraid we will miss something on our to-do list that we feel is necessary for Christmas to really be “Christmas”. We must remember that, we will not miss Christmas if we don’t buy all the gifts or if we don’t put our tree up. We won’t miss Christmas if we don’t host the perfect party or bake the cookies or continue the traditions. In fact, we can do all these things well and still miss Christmas.

We will miss Christmas if we forget to adore Him. 

The birth of Christ is the birth of peace (Isaiah 9:6). He is the answer we have been waiting for. He is the wonder that will always amaze us. He is the salvation we will die without. He is the solution to all our longing, stress, anxiety and worries. Stop stressing and begin adoring Christ the Lord.

As the rest of the world is reeling and lost in a midst of holiday preparations, may the body of Christ be full of joy, relaxed and peaceful as we proclaim, Christ has come! Our lives are far from perfect, but we have a hope and a peace that transcends far beyond the Christmas crazies and our difficult life situations. We can’t forget that this is the season to rejoice! Our King has come!

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;” Psalm 95:6