The song “It’s Beginning to Look A lot Like Christmas” line “Toys in every store” sums up Christmas. Stores begin to promote toys, packages, and anything else as necessary for a happy Christmas. The commercials ignore that most toys and gifts bring only temporary happiness. Try finding joy in Christmas through Christ.
Chasing the perfect present causes stress not joy. Rather joy comes from focusing on the reason to celebrate Christmas. Joy comes from focusing on Christ. With all the hurry and scurry, that can be difficult.
Finding Joy in Christmas Through Learning of Christ
First, to focus on Christ, learn about him. Who was he? What did he do? Why learn of him? What did he focus on in his life?
Christmas celebrates the birth and life of a baby born to Mary in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago. Each baby’s birth is special, but special signs accompanied the birth of Mary’s son. At his birth a new star showed, telling the world the birth of the Son of God. Angels pronounced his birth to shepherds in the field.
This little child grew to be the Savior of the world. He paid the price to allow freedom of choice and gave us the chance to return home to heaven. He taught us how to live a life of joy. Learning of his life teaches how to create a joyful life. He lived his life teaching two main principles: love God above anything and love others.
Finding Joy in Christmas Through Following Christ
Step one says to love God. Weekly, or twice yearly focus on Him does not show a true devotion. True love of God shows in daily life. It means taking time to pray, think of him, and treating others as He would.
Step two says to love others. Christ spent his life in service. He healed the sick, caused the blind to see, and raised the dead. Those services may be a bit beyond normal abilities, but service is still attainable. Truly loving others means helping them. Helping them could be anything from a smile or cleaning their house. It does not matter how we serve, just that we serve.
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints David O. McKay sums up how to find joy in Christmas “True happiness comes only by making others happy—the practical application of the Savior’s doctrine of losing one’s life to gain it. In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind deeds of service.”
Conclusion
This year, focus on Christ. Focus on finding joy in Christmas through Christ. As you learn of Christ, then truly love God and others, you will feel joy. Life will not suddenly work better, but you will feel better. True joy comes through following Christ.
Hello i am kavin, its my first occasion to commenting anyplace, when i read this
paragraph i thought i could also make comment due to this good article.