Preparing Our Hearts, Not Just Our Homes
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2, ESV).
I still cringe when I think about it.
When friends invited us to their daughter's December wedding, I didn’t feel grateful. I felt overwhelmed. My calendar was already packed with parties, shopping, and Christmas concerts. While others anticipated joy, I was drowning in obligation.
During the reception, I slipped outside. Surrounded by laughter, I felt strangely disconnected. Needing space to breathe, I wandered the dimly lit grounds.
In the silence, as I watched the celebration through the windows, I could almost hear the crashing of every plate I’d been trying to keep spinning. One by one they shattered: the impossible schedule, the crushing expectations, and the pressure to make Christmas look like a Hallmark movie. While joy pulsed just beyond the glass, I stood outside, quietly unraveling.
Instead of celebrating Jesus’ birth, I was spiraling into despair. I had become so consumed with preparing for Christmas that I lost sight of Christ, who stepped down from eternity to become our Savior.
When we don’t intentionally lift our eyes to Jesus, the world offers us countless other places to look.
That's why today’s key verses invite us to shift our gaze: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).
The "hills" likely referred to the mountains surrounding Jerusalem when Psalm 121 was first written. Three times each year, faithful Israelites traveled to the holy city of Jerusalem for God’s appointed festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16), and scholars believe they likely sang this psalm along the way. As those familiar hills finally appeared on the horizon, weary pilgrims knew they were nearing their destination. Soon they would worship in God’s presence.
Yet some hills carried another reminder. The surrounding nations built altars on high places to worship false gods, temptations that repeatedly drew the Israelites’ hearts away from God. Every pilgrimage confronted God’s people with a choice:
Would they put their hope in what the world worshipped, or would they trust the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth?
We face that same choice today. Our "high places" may not elevate carved idols, but they can capture our attention just as easily. We look to full calendars, well-behaved children, financial security, productivity, approval, or perfectly curated expectations for significance and peace.
Yet none of these pursuits can quiet the restlessness of our hearts. Only the One who created the mountains can.
In Christ, we no longer have to look for significance because our identity is secure in Him.
In Christ, we no longer have to seek peace because He is our Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
Lord, during this Advent season, teach us to lift our eyes to You above the distractions and performances of this world. May our greatest joy be found not in preparing for Christmas but in drawing near to Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Mei is an accidental writer who spends most of her days in the world of numbers and finance. Her greatest joy, however, is sharing the hope of Jesus through God’s Word in her writing on the First 5 app. You can connect with her on Instagram @meilau777.
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Psalm 46:10, “Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth” (NASB).
What areas of your life is God asking you to relinquish control of so you can trust in His sovereignty? What small steps can you take this Christmas to quiet your heart and rest in Jesus?
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
© 2026 by Mei Au. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
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