The holidays are generally a happy time for people. Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year minus the cold weather and the occasional snow. Yes, I am one of those people that isn’t a big fan of snow. Anyways, Christmas is a great time of the year. I love seeing the different lights and decorations that people put up on their houses. Christmas cookies and, of the course, the big Christmas dinner that my family has every year, is definitely something I look forward to. It seems like that not that long ago we celebrated Thanksgiving and then Christmas happens and it is like round two of eating.
Exchanging of gifts is a great part of Christmas as well, even though the older you get the less of a list you seem to have. There is just something about wrapping, exchanging, and giving gifts that is wonderful. The best part of Christmas is celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His birth was the beginning of the journey that Christ would take as on His road to Calvary, where He would die on a cross, in a humiliating way, so that you and I could have a way and access to Heaven as well as a relationship with God.
All these things that I have mentioned above a few of the many reasons why I love Christmas time. However, for some people this time of year is dreadful. Instead of counting down the days until Christmas, you are counting down the days when the lights and decorations can be put away, the overplayed Christmas songs can stop, and everyone can stop being so smiley and cheerful. There are many reasons why the holiday times can be hard for people. Perhaps you aren’t bringing that significant other to the big dinner for everyone to meet like you had hoped and dreamed. Maybe there are a few empty seats at the table of loved ones that we have lost this year. Perhaps there was a diagnosis that someone received that has everyone scratching their heads and wondering what the next course of action. For some, family is a foreign word and concept.
Alone. This word is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as single, without the presence of others or when one or two more persons are completely separated by themselves. This word is the feeling that feels more like accurate description of the holiday times for some. Perhaps you are reading this and you are thinking, yes, this is how I have felt year after year for who knows how long.
Loneliness is a common feeling for many, whether you feel this overwhelming emotion at the holidays or twenty-four seven, three hundred and sixty five days in a row.
In the Bible, there was a man named Job. If you have spent any length of time in church, I’m sure that this man is no stranger to you. Job is described as perfect or some translations say blameless and upright. He was a man that had a correct reverence and respect for God. If Job was alive today, you may look at him and think that he was blessed and a good person. However, throughout the book of Job we see that he suffers tremendously. He lost everything- seven sons and three daughters, seven thousand sheep, three thousands camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she asses, and to top it off, the Bible says that he had a very great household. All of these comforts and material things that Job had, he would lose. The only thing that Job kept was his wife and his own life, but the suffering and pain he went through was unbearable to think about.
Job felt alone, very alone. In chapter seven, Job exclaims that his life is only but a breathe, and that his eyes “will never again see good.” Job continues on and begins to even plea with God, wanting death to come and take him so that he may find relief from the agony. Have you ever experienced this- wondering if perhaps death would be better than facing the trials and struggles of this life any longer? There are some, unfortunately, that have even tried to end life. My heart breaks for them and for you to have been down that dark road at any point in time of life or are even there currently. My heart breaks even as I read the story about Job, a man that in eyes did nothing wrong yet had everything taken from him. At any point in life when we suffer or face a trial we often ask the question, why? There are usually a number of questions that we begin to ask ourselves and others. Is there a God? Why do bad things happen to good people or why do good things happen to bad people? If God is real, then why would we allow for such evil and suffering in this present world?
These are questions that I myself have wrestled with and asked in time of hurt, anger and frustration. In Job’s suffering he tries to find out the reasons why he has to go through what he is going through. There have been situations in my life where I too have asked God “why?” At times I wasn’t even concerned with how long the trial that I was facing was going to last. I just wanted to know what the reason behind it was. God, when we asks questions, at times it may seem like He isn’t listening or doesn’t care, but He does hear and answer us. God answers Job and from chapters 38-42 God reminds Job of the good things that He has done and will continue to do.
Often times we are too close to a situation to know the why. Whenever I come out of a valley, so to speak, I realized that in the end there was some good that came from it and later I understand that I didn’t need to know the ‘why’ and perhaps I would even be more frustrated if I did know the reason behind the suffering. Reasons are not always revealed to us. What can be revealed and what we need to be reminded of is that we are not alone.
Friends look around and see the things that God has done, whether they are big things or little things. Everything from creation to the clothes that on your back, God has provided. In Hebrews 13:5, God has promised us that, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” What a promise! There are times when we are in trouble where we can call on friends or family and they might be available for whatever reason. You may try and reach out to someone and they have no idea where or how to help you, but every time that we call on God, He is available to hear and answer us.
My friends you are not alone. God is with you. I would like to say that I am here for you as well, although I may not personally know you. Feel free to contact me. You may think that you are not important to anyone and that no one cares about you, but that is a lie. I do not know where that lie has come from, how it got implaned into your head, and why it won’t leave your thoughts, but it is not true.
YOU have a value.
YOU are worth something far beyond what money can ever buy.
YOU matter.
YOU are needed by someone today and tomorrow needs YOU.
YOU are loved.
YOU are not weak or damaged goods because you are not in the holiday spirit or as up and happy as the rest of the world seems to be.
YOU are not the only one that is struggling with this current issue.
YOU are important.
YOU are not a nuisance because you need to reach out for help.
Go back and remind yourself of the things that you have been through. I think it is safe to say that we have some battle scars of some kind. Feeling alone? Unwanted? Unnoticed? Go back and remember the last time that you were there and remember what got you through. Who did you call? Who helped you? Find those people again. Remind yourself what God has done for you and take a trip back in time and see how you have grown from it.
Lastly, the book of Job ends in an amazing way. Job admits to God that he was frustrated and angry and questioning what in the world God was doing. God doesn’t strike Job down and say, “How dare you question my motives and the plan that I have for you?” No. Job kept his reverence for God and God blessed him and gave him twice as much as he had before he had lost everything. One of the greatest and most encouraging verses in the book of Job is the very last verse: Job 42:17, “So Job died, old and full of days.”
My friends, keep on fighting. Take things one week, one day, one hour, one minute at a time. Keep on fighting for the person that you want to be. Fight for the person that is struggling with you so that you can help them and they can help you. Truly, you are needed today, tomorrow, the day after, and every day after that.
There's A Better Life 