A Prayer When You Are Alone This Christmas
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” - Isaiah 41:10
Listen or Read Below:
Sadly, many of us will have to face at least one Christmas alone. My dad had a friend who became a friend of the family, and we even adopted him as our “uncle.” My dad would spend time with him on Christmas because he didn’t have any family left. All his own family had passed away, and he spent every holiday alone, including Christmas. While this sounds depressing, my uncle never really talked much about it. He loved social interactions, but he never got much of it outside of my dad. When I was a kid, I never thought much about it as I was preoccupied with playing, school, and what my friends were up to. However, as I got older, I felt bad for my uncle. Every day, he was by himself, except for the days my dad spent with him. Christmas just became another day for him, and it was a reminder of everything he had lost.
Others may not have lost their family, but they find themselves alone on Christmas for other reasons. Depression, personal struggles, and work obligations can cause us to be alone on holidays. It can be extremely depressing, even if it is only for one year. It can be painful to spend the beautiful holiday of our Lord by ourselves. However, we can still celebrate Jesus’ birth into the world by ourselves. In truth, none of us are truly ever alone. God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are always with us. God loves us, and He will never leave us. Jesus tells us directly, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b). We can take solace in Jesus’ words and find comfort in them when we feel alone.
If you are alone this Christmas because a loved one passed away, know that it is okay to cry, mourn, and grieve your loss. God sees your pain and He isn’t mad at you for not feeling happy on Christmas. God meets you where you are, and He covers you with His love. Death was never something God wanted for us. God tells us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). We don’t need to be afraid or dismayed. He is our God, and He will uphold us with His righteous right hand. Turn to Him and share all your pain with Him. God is with us, even when nobody else is present. Allow this truth to give your heart joy today.
Let’s Pray:
Dear God, I’m going to be alone this Christmas, and it makes me feel really sad and depressed. Surround me with your comfort and help me to make it through this Christmas alone. Thank You for always being with me even when I feel alone. Amen.
Photo credit: ©Getty/sofiaworld
Related Resource: Let God Reframe Your Year: A Psalm 107 Year-End Reflection
As we wrap up our year together, I want to invite you into this meaningful spiritual practice: looking back on the year through the lens of Psalm 107 to identify the “fingerprints of God’s faithfulness. In this episode, we'll walk through four redemptive storylines found in Psalm 107—each representing a way God rescues, restores, and reorients His people. Whether you felt lost, trapped, wounded, self-destructive, or overwhelmed by storms, I encourage you to reflect on how God met you in weakness and brought deliverance. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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