But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4 NKJV)
I’ve been there with Elijah, begging God to take my life and rescue me from the emotional turmoil I couldn’t bear. I know how depressing Christmas can be for those battling depression, grieving the one missing at the table, or overwhelmed by the busyness of Christmas. It all leads to places we don’t want to visit.
First, I want you to give yourself permission to cry. It’s OK to let the tears fall. I’ve even watched people cry on the Hallmark Christmas movies now, and we know those movies of family Christmases provide an escape from reality, but realistic, they are not. Allow yourself to get it out, just like Elijah.
Second, pray, even if you don’t know what to say. Let your heavenly Father comfort you. God cherishes our tears and He keeps records of them (Ps. 56:8), so turn to Him.
Next, Elijah got some rest. The next verse tells us he slept. We can’t get enough rest when we fight the battle of anxiety. Don’t spend the entire holiday in bed, of course. That’s not healthy, but get plenty rest.
Then God met Elijah in his lowest point. I love this because it proves God cares about our emotional turmoil. He sent an angel to meet Elijah’s physical needs, food and water.
The same angels that sang to shepherds proclaiming the message of Jesus’s birth ministered to the simple, but vital needs of Elijah. He encouraged Elijah to eat and drink, providing the food and water.
Friend, I don’t know what you face this season, but I have faced enough tears and heartache to discover some things I wish I had known long ago.
I’ve found I often set an unrealistic goal for Christmas. It’s all about Him, but when we set goals, we make it all about us. We must make room for grief. It’s part of our life, and we have to let it in.
But we can’t make it all about what we don’t have.
I want to reassure you that just as God cared for Elijah, He will and does care for each of His children, including you. That’s why I love this passage.
Friend, allow me to give you a virtual hug and a shoulder to cry on. Don’t try to make Christmas the happiest time of the year. Make it a holy time.
Lord Jesus, this celebration is about You. Christmas gives us hope. Because You were born, we will see loved ones again. Because You came to earth, we can turn to You in our hardest moments. You don’t condemn our tears, but You wipe them all away. Help me through this season. Amen.
DIG DEEPER
HIKING THE TRAIL
Here’s the four things we need to do when anxiety hits us:
- Cry
- Pray
- Rest.
- Eat and drink water.
RELATED RESOURCE
When I’ve experienced depression, reading about someone’s struggle with the same thing has helped me. I’m pretty sure I went through that battle to write this book: Eyes of Faith: Winning the Battle Between Our Feelings and Our Faith
Originally posted on December 24, 2021 @ 3:13 am