Christmas Hangover and New Year's Resolutions
It was Christmas Eve and a bunch of the family was gathered around eagerly awaiting midnight to open presents. This was the first time we had done this together with our cousins and all, and it was the first time I opened my presents at midnight in a while. I guess the fact that we did secret Santa this year added to the excitement. The tree had so many presents under it, about half of the living room was filled, we could barely wait. Then the time came. We took pictures, then opened the presents one person at a time. It was fun hanging out with everyone, receiving gifts, and watching the people we gave gifts to open theirs. Everyone got spoiled this Christmas, but the next morning it seemed like all the excitement was gone.
I was left with a feeling of dissatisfaction. Don't get me wrong, I really like the gifts I got, but I was reminded of how the things of this world do not satisfy. The living room which was filled with presents the night before now seemed empty and I just thought, "Wow, that's it." It's that Christmas hangover right? No more gifts to open, all the excitement died down, and there's a whole year until Christmas comes again.
So what's the solution? I got things I wanted, but why do I still have this feeling? The answer is Jesus. God created us to enjoy Him forever, not as a means to something else, but as the end. However, we have strayed away from that and instead of seeking this purpose for which He created us, we often turn to things to try to fill the infinite void only He can. "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14). But if we think about why we celebrate Christmas, we see God was not pleased to leave us in that position. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus, the God of the universe, coming humbly into our world to redeem us, knowing what He was going to have to do to accomplish that. "She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). He wants to restore us so we can live the way He created us to and this Christmas hangover was a reminder of the fact that only He satisfies and He alone is sufficient.
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:25-26
New Year's is coming up as well. For some reason, it's never been that big of a deal to me, nothing more than a marker of time. However, many people see it as a chance for a fresh start and set New Year's resolutions, changes they want to make in their life. But we all know what happens to those. For many reasons, most of them are never fulfilled.
So what's the point? Personally, I was never into New Year's resolutions. I'm still going to set goals for the year since it gives me a time frame to see what I accomplished, but I'm not fond of the idea of New Year's resolutions. Why wait until the new year to make changes in your life? Why not start right away, as soon as you recognize changes need to be made? I feel like procrastination, putting things off, has become such a huge part of our lifestyles. I'm guilty (I put off blogging all the time). At the same time I don't let that be an excuse not to act. I'm learning to set goals and strive towards growth every day. But just like those New Year's resolutions, I constantly fall short of those goals and even more, the standard to which God calls us to. We often fall short in many areas and contrary to what many will say, the solution is not working harder. Pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps just does not work.
The solution is Jesus. Instead of trying to improve ourselves, work harder, or whatever we try to do, we should look to the One who lived the life we should have, did the things we can't, died for our sins, and rose from the grave. Fight from victory, not for victory. Turn to the God "who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). Of course we still have to act, "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 1:13) but there are greater reasons to have confidence in Jesus than in ourselves. After all, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:24). There is no reason to wait for change because "the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Christ is freely offered to us in the Gospel and He promises to constantly make us new. All we have to do is turn to Him and Him alone.
"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." - 2 Corinthians 4:16
I was left with a feeling of dissatisfaction. Don't get me wrong, I really like the gifts I got, but I was reminded of how the things of this world do not satisfy. The living room which was filled with presents the night before now seemed empty and I just thought, "Wow, that's it." It's that Christmas hangover right? No more gifts to open, all the excitement died down, and there's a whole year until Christmas comes again.
So what's the solution? I got things I wanted, but why do I still have this feeling? The answer is Jesus. God created us to enjoy Him forever, not as a means to something else, but as the end. However, we have strayed away from that and instead of seeking this purpose for which He created us, we often turn to things to try to fill the infinite void only He can. "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14). But if we think about why we celebrate Christmas, we see God was not pleased to leave us in that position. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus, the God of the universe, coming humbly into our world to redeem us, knowing what He was going to have to do to accomplish that. "She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). He wants to restore us so we can live the way He created us to and this Christmas hangover was a reminder of the fact that only He satisfies and He alone is sufficient.
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:25-26
New Year's is coming up as well. For some reason, it's never been that big of a deal to me, nothing more than a marker of time. However, many people see it as a chance for a fresh start and set New Year's resolutions, changes they want to make in their life. But we all know what happens to those. For many reasons, most of them are never fulfilled.
So what's the point? Personally, I was never into New Year's resolutions. I'm still going to set goals for the year since it gives me a time frame to see what I accomplished, but I'm not fond of the idea of New Year's resolutions. Why wait until the new year to make changes in your life? Why not start right away, as soon as you recognize changes need to be made? I feel like procrastination, putting things off, has become such a huge part of our lifestyles. I'm guilty (I put off blogging all the time). At the same time I don't let that be an excuse not to act. I'm learning to set goals and strive towards growth every day. But just like those New Year's resolutions, I constantly fall short of those goals and even more, the standard to which God calls us to. We often fall short in many areas and contrary to what many will say, the solution is not working harder. Pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps just does not work.
The solution is Jesus. Instead of trying to improve ourselves, work harder, or whatever we try to do, we should look to the One who lived the life we should have, did the things we can't, died for our sins, and rose from the grave. Fight from victory, not for victory. Turn to the God "who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). Of course we still have to act, "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Philippians 1:13) but there are greater reasons to have confidence in Jesus than in ourselves. After all, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:24). There is no reason to wait for change because "the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Christ is freely offered to us in the Gospel and He promises to constantly make us new. All we have to do is turn to Him and Him alone.
"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." - 2 Corinthians 4:16
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