I overheard a stranger at the mall confiding in his friend last night, “I’ve been doing the right thing for 10 years already and it hasn’t made any difference. I’m not doing it anymore.” My heart sank for the guy. You could hear his frustration and despair. The fact of the matter is, as beautiful and magical as they are, holidays are also hard. So many people dread this time of year because they’re grieving, struggling, lonely, stressed out, or in peril… broken hearts needing comfort and joy. Maybe you are one of them.
I’ve personally experienced the pain of excruciating loss and betrayal, and yet I still believe there is always hope. No tear goes unseen. There’s a scripture verse that says “The light shines in the dark and the darkness has not overcome it.” Sometimes all we need is a sliver of light to cut through the darkness we’re facing. And sometimes we can even BE that light for someone else. I mean, it’s the broken vessel that spills out the most light, right?
This holiday, may we find light and hope in the middle of despair. May we tune our ears to the needs around us. And may our homes be cozy, safe, hope-lit havens for those needing a soft place to land.