By Danita Hiles
I have a confession to make. I have a love/ hate relationship with this holiday season. To be honest, sometimes when I hear carols singing out ‘it’s the most wonderful time of the year…’, I want to scream! The season of love and laughter and celebration only seems to underscore my family’s losses. While I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the reason for the season, I still struggle with our day to day reality in the midst of shopping and carols and family get-togethers. Driving home late last night, I heard my all time favorite carol, O Holy Night. And for some reason, this time really heard the words:
O Holy Night. the stars are brightly shining…
Even when the 1200 bulbs on my fake tree won’t light
And when I am the only gal in my neighborhood on a ladder putting up outside Christmas lights alongside all of the husbands
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth…
What a plan! He wants us to know Him and sent Jesus to draw us to Him.
He wants to shine through us, even through our tears. People watch to see how we walk this journey. This season, may they see Him in spite of us!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining…
Sounds like they were wallowing, doesn’t it. Sad and clueless and longing. I get that.
Just like me sitting in Christmas candlelight after the girls went to bed last night. Pity party, table for one!
Till He appeared and the Soul felt its worth…
O, Jesus. You appeared. You APPEARED! And because of that we have hope.
In the dark lonely nights of the holiday season, You have declared our worth, our future, our hope, our purpose.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
Dare we believe your words? A thrill of hope? Dare we hope that you are enough?
Sometimes I am just so tired of it all. But even in the exhaustion you have promised that we will run and not grow weary, walk and not faint.
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
I don’t know where ‘yonder’ is…but I am so thankful that there are new beginnings and new mercies and even new hope when today’s supply has been depleted.
And that underscoring it all is the hope of heaven.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
This is not a suggestion, but a command. Yep- just do it! Fall on your knees. Choose to praise Him. Be thank-full. Raise your voice to sing alongside a choir of angels.
If He has promised to inhabit our praise, guess what happens when we choose to praise? He is right there with us! Even in the sad. Even in the lonely.
O night divine, the night when Christ was born
Divine means of God. To divine means to tell the future. I like the combination…that He sent Jesus so that we can have a future with Him.
O Night, O Holy Night! O night divine!!
Lord, may we purpose to find ‘holy nights’ this Christmas season.
Even when stuff breaks and kids are missing their dads and we have not been invited to one grown up holiday party!
And especially when we unpack that special ornament or make that favorite dish or see that family photo from a Christmas past.
O Night, O Holy Night! O night divine!!
Renew us with that ‘thrill of hope’ that causes a weary world to rejoice.
Fill us up so much with your love that it gushes over onto every one we meet this holiday season, from the clerk at Walmart to the waitress at our favorite restaurant, who are all walking their own journey.
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Precious friends – I pray you find time to have your own Holy Night to begin this Christmas season. That you will brew a cup of tea and light a candle and listen, really listen to the words of this simple carol. And then pop back over to let us know how you’re doing! With much love…
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Danita,
This is absolutely beautiful and so well written. I was wallowing over the weekend has I hung the outside lights, went with the kids for our tree and missed family this Thanksgiving, but what a beautiful way for us to stop and re-focus on the true meaning of this holiday, no matter how we may be feeling. I’ll never listen to that familiar song the same ever again. Blessings to you on this Holy Night and all the others He provides for us!
I too was feeling lonely even tho I am totally surrounded by family and friends….I am so happy-sad at the same ime…yet Iam totally greatful to God for all He has done for me and continues daily to bless me in many ways…just wanted to be wnated and not needed, but I guess any position of need or want I should be greatful…does that make sense? Nonetheless I Love you God…thank you Danita for your insight..
Thanks Danita, Today has been such a lonely day yet as Debbie says, surrounded by family. It is so hard to explain when asked, Mom are you ok, when tears are about to spill over and you have no answer at all. Oh Holy Night is my favorite Christmas carol also and I have never thought of it as you shared. Danita, God truly has his hand over you and gives you such beautiful thoughts. Thanks for sharing so that the rest of us can hear God through your thoughts. i will do by very best with God’s help to make a difference in someones life this Christmas season, because Jesus is the reason for this season. May your tomorrow be filled with love, joy and laughter.
Thank you for this wonderful site! I just discovered it today…what a blessing and a joy! God has kept me busy with great friends this season, and I am truly grateful. I pray for the opportunity to be a blessing to someone each day!
i have struggled with christmas for many years, and it is indeed a glorious celebration! this year is particularly bad. i have not decorated my home, nor do i feel any christmas spirit. thank you for sharing this.
My dear husband of 41 years passed into heaven a week ago today.
We have opted to have his funeral after Christmas so I am still stressfully but mercifully focused more on all of that than I am on the new reality of my life at the moment. And honestly the grief is just pressing in on the edges but has not really hit at all yet.
I am thankful for having found this site. What a blessing it already is to me and I know ongoing as I head into a world that is completely foreign to me. But it won’t be completely foreign. I have been “married” to the Lord Jesus as well as to my husband for many years. My husband has gone on but the Lord is still here, alive and fully related to me. I know this for sure. He will always be enough.
This piece you have written on O Holy Night, Danita, is fanastic.
God bless you and all who visit this site.