What am I prioritising this time of the year?
“The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 4:7
The entire year our anticipation builds, growing and growing. Protruding into all aspects of our lives, until we come to the end of the year. The time we have been waiting for. The time when we can rest, slow down, and be with our loved ones. When we are surrounded by love, nostalgia, and joy. This time of the year brings us hope for the future, joy in the present, and a love for our past.
The anticipation that builds to the arrival of the end of our long year gives us a renewed outlook on the next year. That is what makes it the best time of the year to celebrate the arrival of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is our eternal hope, joy, and love. As we look towards the end of the year we need to prioritise our hope, joy, love, and peace.
We prioritise our hope in Jesus and the good things He has given us. Through our struggles and trials, we maintain hope that He is working for our ultimate good. Even though every day looks different and can be tiresome, He is in us, renewing our spirit. So then we can wake up each day looking forward to the time He has given us, instead of dreading the boring days at work, or the seemingly mundane time spent alone…
As the year winds down, we also need to prioritize joy and love in ourselves and those around us. The saying ‘you cannot pour into others from an empty cup’ is all too true. And this time of the year is the perfect time to take a night or two and just relax. Do some self-care, watch your favorite movies, have a craft night with friends, just lie down and rest.
There are multiple instances in the Bible where the Lord has told people to rest. In Mark 6, after serving and feeding the five thousand, Jesus tells the apostles to come with Him and find rest. We can and should find rest in Him. As we rest and love ourselves and those closest to us, we our find joy.
Our joy is constant, it never leaves our souls. Happiness can come in waves, ebbing and flowing, but our joy is steadfast because it is grounded in Him. Through this rest, we build our joy reserve in Him.
Finally, we prioritise our peace this time of the year. reflecting on the past year and identifying what brought us peace, versus what brought us strife. Then we cling to those things, people, and moments, that gave us peace, putting our Father at the forefront. His peace is everlasting and surpasses any earthly thing or person. He can give us peace in the most difficult heartbreaking moments, and extend it to our happiest in the same way. That is because His peace is unlike anything we can think of or create, His peace, which surpasses all understanding, will “guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:7.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
