Oh the should have’s, would have’s and could have’s of Christmas past. How they love to steal our appreciation of the present moments we are blessed with.
I feel I myself, like many others tend to take the bait of Satan in this area and unknowingly come into agreement with the harmful psychological warfare tactics that the enemy loves unleashing during the holiday season.
A pattern of remembering the trauma over the years. Remembering the loved ones that should still be here but aren’t. Remembering all the situations, people, places, things, and life you’ve experienced over the years and wishing things were different. Comparing one household to another, one Christmas tree to another one family to another and wondering the what if’s.
Last night while I was getting ready to go up bed, I had one of those moments. I sat down and cried thinking that I should have a ten month old opening presents this year.
Then crying about that led to crying about a hundred other things and there I am weeping to the Lord repenting for every mistake I’ve ever made all the way back to infancy, and wondering why He puts people in the families they’re in to begin with. Why people have to experience and endure the things they do and why He won’t just take it all away.
But the thing is He did, His death and resurrection did, it’s just up to us to see it outside of our natural eyes and worldly nature; and to walk it out as it is written.
As I sat in the kitchen broken in tears, crying to the Lord, He decided to show me something. In my very own Christmas Carol experience Jesus showed me where I would be right now in this moment if different situations in my life had gone a different way, even the way He planned before my flesh got in the way.
He took me through my childhood, through every traumatic experience and showed me what should have happened according to His will. He showed me who my friends would be, the difference in my education, career path, marriage, dedication to Jesus, and the kids I’d have had.
He showed me what my evenings would be like if I’d have stayed in that failed marriage or failed relationship. He showed me every compromise I’d have to make. He let me hear conversations, and see people’s heart intentions; and He revealed to me the that there is truly no place I would rather be than right here, right now, in my husband’s arms getting ready to share Christmas with the kids.
As I wiped my tears, one final thought crossed my mind, why. Why did I need to go through this, any of this, all of this. Why? Why do any of us have to? And without a second of hesitation, He cut me off, and I heard the Lord speak clearly, “Because they needed you to”.
The tears welled up again as He flashed pictures of people’s faces before my eyes. People I haven’t seen in years, people I talk to weekly, people I hardly encounter anymore, people I’ve talked with for hours and people I’ve only encountered for a moment. “Because they needed you to.”
This is your reminder not to fall into this trap, or to lose any more precious moments from the present; because you wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than where you are now.
This is your reminder to take your thoughts captive. The war is in your mind with the enemy attempting to steal your peace from the present. Every single day.
I promise you, no matter what it looks like in this moment, if you keep your focus on Jesus, applying His word, there is hope. The clouds will part and the sun will shine on your face again. There are people that need you. Even when you think they don’t. They do. They need the Jesus in you more than you need it yourself.
Don’t let the ghosts of Christmas past steal your present joy, turning you into Lot’s wife, in Jesus mighty name. Amen!
Romans 8:18 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Ephesians 4:31 - 4:32 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Isaiah 43:18 - 43:19 18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Philippians 3:12-14 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Luke 9:62 - And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Ecclesiastes 7:10 - Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
James 1:2-4 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Acts 20:35 - I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
John 1:14 - And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Luke 6:38 - Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Luke 12:15 - And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Luke 8:39 - Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
2 Timothy 1:8 - Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
Revelation 12:11 - And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Psalms 66:16 - Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
Matthew 10:32 - Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
1 Peter 3:15 - But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Psalms 119:46 - I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
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