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Joy to the World.

The Lord has come.

Let Earth receive her King.

Let every heart prepare Him room.

And heaven and nature sing.

And heaven and nature sing.

And Heaven and heaven and nature sing.

I remember reading the first verse of that familiar Christmas hymn.

Although it was a favorite Christmas carol of mine, I could not sing it that first Christmas without my husband. My mouth opened and tears came out of my eyes. No sound could be found in my throat. Just memories and sadness filled me. Joy was not present in those moments.

Christmas had always been a wonderful celebration of Jesus for me.

Yet the past few Christmas seasons were not easily filled with Joy! Since the first Christmas, after I lost my husband, joy has seemed elusive. Maybe it was the stress of the many changes in responsibility or the loss of deep love that turned my life upside down. Whatever the reason, anxiety seemed to replace my peace, and doubts and questions about managing life alone filled my mind and took my joy away.

My heart was focused on the differences in the current Christmas season compared with the ones that were past. Every decoration and every blinking light reminded me of the past Christmases with my husband. Christmas cards, decorating a Christmas tree, and Christmas music, had been such a part of Christmas past. That first year, I had to be intentional about recognizing how fragile my emotions were and at times still are. It became necessary to give myself permission to change the way I could share in these activities because I could not handle all those memories at that moment. Taking bite-sized pieces of celebrations from the past, helped me in recovering my joy. Reminders of the traditions and celebrations surrounded me,

I needed to figure out how to accept losing Bill, and yet still celebrate the Savior.

Jesus fulfilled the words of this Christmas hymn “The Lord has come”.

I needed to “receive my King”.

My heart had to “Prepare Him room”.

Finding room in our hearts for Jesus happens only if we embrace His love. As I prepared room in my heart, I began to experience God’s love again. I found that Joy is a response that we can share when we remember the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes was Jesus. TRUE JOY, the joy that is genuine, really depends on our ability to delight in the right things. I needed to delight in things that God delights in. God’s word became my tool and focusing on His truth supplied what was needed to transform my heart.

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10 (NASB)

Having a heart that is transformed is necessary to experience that joy. Only then can I recognize God’s hand in the process of daily life and replace anxiety with confidence. I found that I could take steps forward. My confidence turned into gratefulness and provided me the ability to see His hand in the details set before me. I found that I could worship God despite the pain of loss.

Now I can be part of joining the chorus as “heaven and nature sing”.

Lord,

We come with hearts longing for peace and clarity as we face the future. We ask for strength to face each day ahead, and wisdom as we make decisions and confront each moment. Thank You for providing scripture to teach us. We ask for the ability to see You working in our lives as we recount the ways You have provided and loved us. Thank You for Jesus and His sacrifice for us. Let us share the joy we have in Jesus as we move past our pain and help us be intentional during this holiday season. Amen