The Greatest Threat to My Christmas

After 30 plus years of living with her, I know who the greatest threat to my Christmas is this year. Sweating the small stuff is one of her specialties, especially during one of the most wonderful times of the year. She can be ruled by the tyranny of the urgent and let the littlest things get under her skin. She has schedules and expectations that she often fails to communicate and then gets frustrated when they are thwarted. She can be so blind to her own sin, and when the temperature and pressures of a holiday heat things up a bit, she can easily grow anxious and angry.

The greatest threat to my Christmas is not difficult family members, its secularization, or ever-changing circumstances. The greatest threat to my Christmas is the enemy within.

During “petal to the metal” seasons, a hurried life becomes a distracted life, and the flesh loves to take over the wheel. While our mantles can be adorned with messages of “peace on earth,” our hearts can be far from the truth. A heart adorned with the love of Christ starts with wielding the sword of the Spirit to conquer our sinful attitudes and temptations. 

In order to keep a close watch on our hearts, I think it’s helpful to outline specific circumstances that are likely to trigger the old self and think through what godliness would look like instead. What would it look like practically for me this season to abide in Christ?

As a Wife

Will I support my husband’s ways of disciplining our children while he is off work, or will I comment on how I would’ve done it differently? Will I give my husband the silent treatment if he doesn’t “help” me get a family picture on Christmas Day, or will I snap mental pictures of the happy times while living in the moment? Will I scoff that someone got dressed in the wrong outfit or be thankful for help in the little things? Will the dishes subtly become his responsibility, or will I look at a full sink and full stomachs with a thankful heart and graciously do the work entrusted to me?

As a Mother

Are our plans and activities that I have my heart set on reasonable for my small children, or have I made them about me? If my baby causes me to be nap-trapped while visiting with family, will I walk around like Mommy the martyr, or recognize a different type of blessing to be had in the quiet and stillness of solitude? Will I retreat to the other room claiming the prognosis of “overstimulation” from the sound of children playing or recognize the joys of little hands and laughter? Will I ignore sinful behavior in my kids while having company over, or will I faithfully discipline and instruct even when it is inconvenient? Will I get upset at everyone else for my children’s sugar intake or see the blessing in homemade treats and old family recipes? Will I roll my eyes if they receive bulky gifts that we probably don’t have room for, or will I choose to smile and be thankful for the joy on their faces in receiving a new toy?

Will I prepare my heart each day and point to what matters most as evidenced by my attitude? Will I be marked by joy or anxiety? Will I look well to the ways of my household or be glued to my phone? If sickness comes upon our household, will I fall into self-pity over missing out on holiday plans or recall the Lord’s faithfulness to me in the past during times of trouble?

 In thinking back to the angel visiting Mary the mother of Jesus, I want to say with every circumstance that I would not choose for myself, “Behold, the hand maiden of the Lord, let it be to me according to Thy word” (Luke 1:38).

Fighting the old self is no easy task, but it is necessary. My duty as a Christian is to prepare my mind for battle and pray that my affections and will would follow suit. Affection is thus stirred when we remember, “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).  It takes active concentration to walk in the Spirit while we set our minds on the things of Christ, so we are not easily distracted by holiday tinsel or tantrums. 

This is only a condensed version of my own temptations during advent season, and yet it can still seem daunting. But the Holy Spirit helps me in my weakness. I look at the manger scene and remember the love that came down at Christmas and the One who took on human flesh, who was born to give us second birth. The incarnation is a reminder that because He was made like us, we will one day be made like Him. Glorification is coming. The flesh waging war against the Spirit is the way of the cross that leads home. And home means a new body that can worship God fully and whole heartedly, without the smallest taint of sin.