Joy. ‘Tis the season for it, but not everyone is feeling it. Many (like is) are holding both joy and mourning.
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Today we traveled to Ohio to see my aunt who has a terminal brain cancer. She has been in hospice care for over 2 months. It has been incredibly hard on my family and is a point of pain this holiday season. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
My heart goes out for those that have lost someone or who have loved ones that are sick during this time of year. Christmas can be a time that can bring up feelings of hurt, doubt, loss, and fear. And while there is no remedy that would take the pain immediately away (sometimes God does), we do find that our hope in Christ gives us what we need to make it through.
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I am encouraged by this verse from psalms: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26
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Christmas is my favorite time of year but missing my grandpa and my aunt healthy, things that once were but are no more can hover like a cloud at times. But Jesus’s rays of hope, promise, and love will always break through like the golden rays of the sun ☀️ through the darkest of storms.
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Jesus comes to bring light to our darkness, hope to the hopeless, comfort to the mourning, peace & rest to the restless. Jesus’ birth is a celebration of our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God.
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Our hope & Joy is in this: “the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”-Matthew 4:16
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What gives you the strength to make it through times of grief or pain? I always love to hear from you and admire your courage to share!
