|
The Loneliness of the Holidays
Victoria Boyson
www.victoriaboyson.com
All across the world, Christmas is celebrated and that usually means the coming together of friends and family. However, sometimes, the "coming together," can actually create feelings of loneliness for people.
Feeling a burden to see family at Christmas, we often place ourselves in positions for the enemy to overwhelm us with his agenda for our lives. All the assignments of the enemy targeting your life can find refuge in the thoughts of others and how they value you.
Have you ever felt unloved, unappreciated or misunderstood by those who should love you? It's as if they do not even see, nor do they desire to see, the real you - as if they're fighting hard to retain their unflattering views of you. When you are around these people, you can start to see yourself as they do.
Even though we are around crowds of people, we can still feel lonely. This happens because, even though you are around people who know you, they do not want to see you as you are or connect with you in a way that is healthy for your soul.
After years of trying to please people so they would accept and appreciate me, I had an epiphany. I realized they would never accept me in this life.
It sounds harsh, but it was from the Holy Spirit and it brought a much needed release to my spirit. I was focusing on people who could never be what I hoped they would, and no matter how much I prayed for it, they would never know me as I truly am. It would not happen in this life and accepting this fact helped me to focus on the other blessings in my life that the Lord has given me. It was liberating!
When Jesus was on the earth, He struggled with family issues just like us.
In John 7:1-5, we see the dynamics of the Lord's family on earth and how His brothers mocked Him in their unbelief of Him. "... Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, and Jesus' brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can't become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!" For even his brothers didn't believe in him." (NLT)
Think about it: The very ones the Lord grew up with and cared so much for held contemptuous thoughts about His ministry. Indeed, it was because of their relationship with Jesus that they had such a difficult time believing in Him, and their familiarity with Jesus produced contempt.
At another time in Scripture, we see how Jesus reacted to His family's false assumptions. One day, Jesus had entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon, he and his disciples could not even find time to eat, because the powerful manifestation of the Spirit they were experiencing was so great. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. "He's out of his mind," they said. (Mark 3:20-21)
Even Jesus, or, perhaps, especially Jesus, did not find the acceptance from His family He desired. And as you can imagine, it is difficult to have a relationship with people who think you're insane. I think it's safe to say, the Lord's family did NOT understand Him. Their mistaken view actually led them to become contrary to His life's mission on earth. In the midst of all the miracles and joy He brought to humanity, it was His family who actually tried to stop Him from doing the Father's will.
Jesus had a choice to make. Would he deny the ministry of His heavenly Father to submit to His earthly family or deny His earthly family and continue preforming the will of His Father in heaven?
This was His response:
When Jesus' family came to see Him and sent word to Him to stop what He's doing and come outside and talk to them, He replied. "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then he looked at those around him and said, "Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."Mark 3:31-35 NLT
Jesus made a family out of the people around Him.
He looked at the situation through an eternal view of mankind. He saw that although His family had an intimate connection to Him and, although He surely must have felt a duty to them, He saw that all mankind was His family and He had an even greater duty to them.
Indeed, though at this time, His family did not accept His mission, or understand Him, He knew He wasn't alone, because He was one with His heavenly Father. His family was the Father's family, so He would never be alone.
So, if you feel alone or maybe you are truly alone, you are NOT alone. The entire kingdom of God is with you. Jesus showed us who our true family is!
I want you to close your eyes and think about the kingdom of God accepting you, loving you and appreciating your life in heaven and on earth. This is the will of the Father for you. You are never alone, but are truly accepted and beloved of not only your heavenly Father, but by His very large family. This is kingdom thinking and, as you have accepted Christ's sacrifice for yourself, it is your new eternal reality.
In Colossians 3:1-3, we are encouraged to believe and consider the reality of our eternal reality. "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory."
Friend, if you are alone this season, or if you feel alone, remember that you have a sister, me, who considers you family. I may not know you, but the Holy Spirit in me does and He tells me to encourage you to remember that you, like Jesus, are NOT alone. You are NOT misunderstood. You are NOT rejected. Your eternal family loves you!
Our TRUE reality is HEAVEN and not the fleeting relationships of this earth. God can make a family for you out of anybody, so realize you are rich in family, rich in love and rich in the acceptance and celebration of your adopted family. You are wanted and you are loved.
|
|
NEW Book by Victoria Boyson