A Prayer for Peace When Holidays Feel Heavy
By Keri Eichberger
Bible Reading:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27
Listen or Read Below:
There’s a heart-warming anticipation I feel as the final few months of each year approach. But that sense is sadly and suddenly met with a hard and heavy hit. Though there is much joy, the holiday season brings on so much else that steals my peace. Strong suggestions and loaded expectations to shop myself silly, to serve and give bigger and bolder, to decorate sooner and more extravagantly, to follow every long-lasting tradition and then some. All while keeping the joy, the peace, and most definitely Jesus at the center of it all. It’s a lot. Not to mention the pain of what’s changed and been lost, like the people no longer present that once made this special time of year even more special. I want to embrace every bit of what the season brings, but I have a hard time soaking in its peace and joy with all the demands, expectations, and even hurt that sometimes encircle the season.
Do you sense any heaviness in the holiday season? Feeling like there are countless tasks you should or want to tackle. Like you want it to sparkle with the joy and magic it should, as you celebrate the birth of the Savior. But the hope of keeping the pace and peace sometimes seems impossible. I get this. But we still long for peace to fill the season. We know without it, there wouldn’t be much joy. And there should be great joy. We are celebrating the most joy-filled news the world has ever known. The Son of God was sent down to save us and stay with us forever. I think we’d all agree that not only is this the most joyous of occasions, but we also deeply desire to make it just that. And if we can keep the peace amid the hustle and heaviness, we could better keep our eyes on him, and sustain and swell some more wonder, awe, and joy.
Whether it’s the burden of the bustling season or the sadness of sorrow it brings, heaviness and hurry can steal our peace at any given time. But it is those times we must remember who our peace actually is and where it comes from. It’s Jesus. It is Jesus who said to his disciples before his death, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. This offer of peace was also for you and me, and still today. He left us his peace. He gave us his peace. And it is not as the world gives it. No, it’s better. It’s rich and real and lasting. And in him is where we can still find it. Despite the demands and draws of the world. Despite the expectations of this season to do this and that and more and more. Don’t forget to pause and soak in his peace. Don’t forget what matters most—allowing your heart to celebrate him. For him and with him.
Our peace is in Jesus. And Jesus is always with us. The holidays can be heavy, but we don’t need to let our hearts be troubled or to be afraid of what may come of this time or any—because Jesus is always available to us and always with us. Thus his peace is always with us. We just need to place our focus more on him in order to receive it. Instead of fixating on completing our Christmas shopping, making more perfect memories, pursuing every past tradition, or on our disappointment of what isn’t as we wish it were, we should focus our hearts each day on communing with and celebrating Jesus.
So, as you consider the holiday plans before you, plan for more peace. Take something unnecessary off your list, place more margin in your calendar, and prioritize extra time in God’s presence each morning. Release all the expectations of people. Receive and lean into the calls to simply sit in stillness with your Savior, your friend, the Lord of peace himself, Jesus. And then linger with him as he lifts and lightens the heaviness of the holidays, and replaces it with his precious and permeating peace.
Let’s Pray:
Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace, and I long to refresh my awe of your birth in this season. If I’m being honest, there is some heaviness that hovers over the holidays. I feel the weight when I can’t meet expectations, when I struggle with what I wish were different, and when the world tells me to do more and move faster. But the world does not provide the peace my soul longs for.
Only you can do that. Lord, help my heart know not to be troubled or afraid. Rather, may I receive you and let your peaceful presence reign and rule my entire soul. I praise you and celebrate you in this blessed season. In your glorious name, Amen.
If you liked what you read, I think you will love my latest book, Win Over Worry: Conquer What Shakes You and Soar With the One Who Overcomes. You can find it on Amazon or your favorite online retail site. I hope it blesses you!
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Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Kerkez
Related Resource: Be Still - Advent Meditations
This Advent season can be full and hurried, which is exactly why we need moments to pause and be still with God. So Much More is a podcast created to bring you space to be with God - and this month, we're walking through Advent Meditations all designed to help you quiet yourself and hear from the Lord. If you like what you hear, subscribe to So Much More on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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