A Prayer to Shine the Light of Christ in a Busy Season
By Clarence Haynes
Bible Reading:
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. - Isaiah 60:1
Listen or Read Below:
Every year when the holidays roll around, people plan for the season. The common question is “What are you doing for Christmas?” Hidden beneath that question are all the things you must do to make the holiday season feel like the holidays. You need to put up the Christmas tree, decorate the house, work through the gift list, buy all the groceries, clean the house, host on Christmas day, and then clean up again after everyone leaves (I’m exhausted just thinking about it). Speaking of cleaning, for those from the Caribbean, you must “pick down the house,” which means cleaning the house in an extra special way during the holiday season.
Regardless of your traditions, the holidays are extremely busy for everyone. Oh, did I forget to mention that you do all of this on top of your already busy schedule of work, kids, family, church, ministry, and so on? If you are feeling the weight of all this, join me in feeling exhausted already.
While the season moves at a breakneck pace, we cannot forget one simple truth. Our responsibility, even in this season, is to shine the light of Christ. I'd like to share some ways you can shine the light of Christ during this busy holiday season.
Slow Down and Be Present
While the food and festivities are all wonderful to enjoy, the whole point of the holiday season is to spend time with people. One thing about Jesus is that he was never too busy to spend time with one person. While you are running around in all the busyness, you could miss the ones right in front of you. When that happens, you have missed the whole point of this season. Be present with the people you are around because showing them you love and care about them is the type of light Christ would shine.
Be Kind
One of the greatest ways to shine the light of Christ is through your kindness. Sometimes your greatest testimony is not how much Bible you know, but how kind you treat people. I knew of a gentleman who was not a Bible scholar by any means; however, the kindness he showed to people was his greatest witness and opened the door for him to share the love of Jesus with those who encountered him. In the rush of this season, when you are trying to get the last thing done on your list, don’t forget the need to be kind. So, hold the door open or lend a hand if you see someone needing help. When you see the overworked cashier, give them a word of encouragement. There are countless ways to show kindness, and when you do, it can open doors to point people to Jesus.
Bless Someone Who Can’t Bless You Back
Gift exchanges are fun, but they can be flawed. Not because they aren’t enjoyable, but because we give a gift and receive one in return. In some ways, this misses the point. The true blessing does not come from gifts received, but from gifts given. The Bible reminds us it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35), and Christ demonstrated this for us by giving his life for us. During this busy season, find simple ways to bless those who can’t bless you back. In doing that, you will shine the light of Jesus, and you will experience the true blessing of giving.
The busyness of the holidays can overwhelm you, so do your best not to let it. When you keep Christ at the center and remember this season is about people, not presents, then you are laying a good foundation for shining light.
Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father,
Help me resist the rush of the busy holiday season. Amid the anxiety of getting everything done, all the preparations, and just trying to make everything perfect, help me not to forget You or the people around me. Remind me that my responsibility is to shine the light of Christ first and care about people. Give me the grace to never sacrifice getting something done for neglecting time with others, showing kindness, or simply being loving towards other people. That’s why I ask You to help me keep my eyes on Jesus, so I will always be ready to show His love to others. Let me never be so busy that I forget to shine the light of Christ to those around me.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/lucigerma
He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose, which helps readers understand how God leads them into his will, and the author of The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has released his first course, Bible Study Basics, to achieve that goal. To learn more about his ministry and resources, please visit clarencehaynes.com.
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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