Stress will Steal your Joy!

When I was a kid we didn't start celebrating Christmas until after the Thanksgiving dinner was done, the University of Texas/Texas A&M football game was over, and the Macy's parade was ended.  The tree and lights were not put up, Santa didn't arrive, and the stores and streets were not decorated until after Thanksgiving.  But this year I began seeing Christmas decorations prominently displayed in the stores in August, even before school started!  I suppose the reason for that is primarily financial.  Most retailers depend on the Christmas shopping season to bring their annual bottom line into the black.  I used to complain about the Christmas season starting so early, but now I'm beginning to see that, as a consumer, I should appreciate it and use it to my advantage.  After all, shaking my head and fretting about it, complaining that it's too hot in August to think about Christmas, longing for the way things used to be doesn't change anything.  It only creates stress in my own mind, and stress is destructive.

According to the American Psychological Association, 61% of Americans report a lack of money as the leading cause of stress during the holidays, followed closely by an overloaded calendar and anxiety over giving and receiving just the right gifts.  Their survey also showed that higher stress levels during the holidays are reported by 44% of American women and 31% of American men.

I wonder when the Christmas season first began to be so stressful.  Was that what God had in mind when He sent His Son to live among us?  I would think that Mary and Joseph would have been stressed, since they could not find a room in Bethlehem.  I would think that it would have been stressful for Mary to give birth in a stable.  We know it was stressful for King Herod.  When he heard about the birth of the "King of the Jews" he called a meeting with all the chief priests and scribes.  He asked them where Christ was to be born.  They reported to him that, according to prophecy, there would be born in Bethlehem of Judea one who would govern the people of Israel.  This greatly troubled Herod, so much so that he ordered that all the baby boys in the region of Bethlehem, aged two and under, be killed.  (Read Matthew 2:1-16)  It is estimated that about 20 little boys lost their lives because of Herod's insecurity and stress.

The good news is that God protected the child, Jesus, from Herod's brutality.  He sent an angel who warned Joseph to take his family to safety in Egypt because Herod intended to harm Jesus:

And when they (the wise men from the east) were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.  (Matthew 2:13-15, King James Version)

Do you suppose this caused Joseph some stress?  I know if an angel visited me  I would be stressed.  Then if that angel told me my child was in danger I would surely be stressed.  And if I had to get up in the middle of the night and leave everything I had and everyone I knew to move to a foreign country in order to protect my child I would most assuredly be stressed!

But it's funny.  The bible doesn't give us any indication, not even a hint, that Joseph or Mary was stressed by any of this!  The only ones in the entire Christmas story who were stressed were Herod, the temple officials, and the people of Jerusalem.  Herod and the temple officials were afraid of losing their power.  The people of Jerusalem were afraid of losing the peace and good economy that the Roman rule had provided.  But Mary, Joseph, and the wise men were so focused on Jesus, they had no stress.  

The Christmas story as recorded in Luke also included the shepherds and their sheep.  When the angel first appeared to the shepherds, they were afraid.  Luke 2:9 says that "the glory of the Lord shone round about them."  It seems to me that might frighten all the sheep, too.  I don't know much about sheep, but I've seen other animals react in panic and fear when something happens suddenly that is out of the ordinary.  The shepherds were frightened, plus they may have been worried for the sake of their sheep.  But the angel told them that there was nothing to fear because he was bringing good news of great joy.  After the angel's reassurance, the shepherds were no longer afraid.  And there is nothing in Luke's account that tells us the sheep were disturbed at all.  Instead, we are told that the shepherds went quickly to Bethlehem to worship the baby Jesus.

So, this Christmas season, where is your focus?  Is it on the decorations?  Is it on the shopping?  Is it on all the parties and extended family celebrations?  Is it on the credit card bill?  Or is your focus on the Christ Child? 

The American Psychological Association and many other web sites offer a lot of advice about how to relieve stress during the holidays -- planning, budgeting, lowering expectations, etc.  You can look them up or you can turn on the t.v. and hear all kinds of solutions to the problem of holiday stress.  But, in my opinion, the best answers come from God's word:

• Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.  (1 Peter 5:7, New Living Translation)
• Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. (John 14:1, Easy-to-Read Version)
• Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God.  Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.  Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise.  You know the teachings I (Paul) gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you. (Philippians 4:6-9, Contemporary English Version)

So this week, as we celebrate Thanksgiving and as many people begin their Christmas shopping, my prayer for all of us will be this, adapted from John 14:27 (New American Standard Bible):

Heavenly Father, Thank you for leaving us with Peace; Your peace that you give to us; not as the world gives do you give to us. Do not let our hearts be troubled, nor let us be fearful.