How to Avoid Turning into the Grinch over Christmas
(or, Keeping Going Spiritually over Christmas)

I hate Christmas. There, I’ve said it. It’s not that I don’t love my family; I totally do. I love catching up with friends, too. I love the cheesy Christmas music, the delicious food and fabulous church services pointing me back to Jesus. Not to mention the presents. It’s so much fun buying and giving presents! Nevertheless. I hate Christmas. Bah. Humbug.
Okay, hate may be a bit too strong. Christmas is probably my least favourite holiday. I should admit that I’m not a big fan of holidays in general. There are two main reasons and one common result.
1. Reason #1: Goodbye Routine – Strip away my work routines and meetings and it’s so easy to go to bed later and later… and get up later and later. And somehow, I just don’t quite get around to opening God’s Word and praying to him. It’s not that I won’t do it. I’ll just do it later. Actually, I may as well leave it for tomorrow morning now… Inexplicably I simultaneously find the time for boxsets, video games and sometimes even the Evening Standard…
2. Reason #2: Goodbye Church Family – I love my church family. I love the encouragement of meeting with and praying with brothers and sisters in Christ. But all too often I fail to arrange to spend time with Christian friends over the holidays. Then when Christmas arrives nearly everyone heads back to their families anyway, so hanging out with friends is almost impossible.
3. Common Result: Goodbye Spiritual Warfare – Sadly, more often than I’d care to admit, this is the result. Good disciplines melt away and old sins rear their ugly head. When I finally return to work, I find myself physically rested but spiritually drained.
So what? Well. Join me as I campaign against holidays in general and Christmas holidays in particular… Hmm. Maybe not. The Christian life is described in Ephesians 6:10-20 as one requiring spiritual warfare, and for me this time of year can be an intense struggle… so here’s some suggestions for thriving over Christmas instead of just surviving:
1. Prepare for battle – Fail to prepare. Prepare to fail. Plan. Plan your holidays. Not just where you go, but what you do and who you’re gonna do it with. Plan time with Christian mates. What Christian books or Christian biographies can you read? Can you set aside a few hours for prayer or even a whole day? How about reading through a whole book of the Bible? I read the whole of Isaiah out loud one Christmas (I didn’t realise how long it would take when I started… I eventually finished several days later... I suggest you start with a shorter book of the Bible!) Obviously plan time for enjoying God’s good gift of creation too (boxsets, etc…) You can even plan time when you have nothing planned. Don’t waste your holidays. Plan time for intentional spiritual refreshment. Prepare for battle!
2. Don’t march on an empty stomach – At some point most of us will be feasting on a Christmas roast, yet a number will be spiritually famished. Some will be going back to families who lack our appetite for God’s Word and in-depth Bible teaching, or who don't believe at all. We also may not have access to a local church. Or at least not one with decent preaching. Well, fight to keep feeding yourself from God’s Word. And why don’t you supplement your spiritual diet by downloading some CCM talks or arming yourself with the CCM sermon app. Just don’t march on an empty stomach.
3. Leave no soldier behind – I mentioned this under Prepare for Battle but it’s important enough to warrant its own point. Why not plan to spend some of your holidays with some Christian mates who you can encourage spiritually and who can encourage you spiritually. It’s harder at Christmas but even if you live miles away from Christian mates you can still normally arrange a phone call or a Skype. Which Christian friends can you serve in this way? Who will be going home to non-Christian friends and family? Why don’t you arrange to read the same Christian book or the same book of the Bible and then chat about what you discover? Let’s look out for each other over Christmas and leave no soldier behind.
There is much more that I could say about holidays and about rest, but for me these are some of the most important things I need to hear. When you’re next chatting to a friend at CCM and the conversation turns to Christmas, why not mention those three suggestions: Prepare for battle, don’t march on an empty stomach and leave no soldier behind. I guarantee you’ll have a better Christmas! If you want to keep thinking about this then here’s another article. But for now, let me close by pointing you to this prayer on thanksgiving but applicable to Christmas.
Have a very Merry Christmas and come back rested, fired up and ready to serve!
Rejoice in the Lord always,
Loz
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