Winters are cold in the dark area of the world where the Lord called our family to share the gospel for almost 30 years. Lots of snow and ice. Not many people outside. It can feel quite lonely, especially when you’re the only Christian around and an oppressive government forbids Christmas.
No, I’m not talking about the Grinch, but real life for many persecuted Christians across the world, especially in Muslim or Communist countries.
You may not live in a foreign country far from Christian friends and family, but if you’re feeling alone this Christmas — if you’ve lost a loved one or dissension has built walls between you — take some time alone to be with Jesus. Whatever you’re feeling, lay it all down at His feet.
Only He can calm your blizzards. Only He can cover you with His wings and warm you with His love. Only His Word can feed you in the harsh wilderness of pain. Let His grace shine into every cold corner, chasing away lies with truth and nourishing you with His love and with the joy and peace of His felt presence.
This Christmas, ask the One whose name is Love to set you ablaze, so that the warmth of His love flowing through you will reach out to others and draw them in.
Lord, thank You because You’re here with us, even when we can’t see or feel You. It’s so easy for us to rely on others for strength, when YOU are the One who arms and empowers us. Psalm 18:32. Teach us how to fully receive Your boundless love and unfailing grace, to truly believe we are beloved, made worthy not because of anything we have done but because of the sacrifice YOU paid. Hebrews 10:14. When others reject me, or those I love are gone and I feel alone, teach me to lay my pain and fear at Your feet and to seek Your love to fill the holes in my heart. Shine into every cold corner in me that wants to push others away. Teach me how to love — not for the purpose of others loving me back, but because You first loved me. 1 John 4:19, Matthew 22:37-40. Draw others to Yourself through the power of Your love in me. Set me free from my pride, self-pity and pain that make every situation all about me, and fix my eyes on Your endless love. Teach me to forgive. Completely. Pick me up from out of this pit of loneliness and rejection, for You have chosen me as Your own. I am already beloved. By You. And Your love is more than enough to cover over all my sin and rescue me from the traps satan has set for me. Remind me that he is my enemy, not those people who have hurt me. Hurt people hurt people. Don’t let me be one of those. Break the cycle, Lord. Break it in me and through me. Fill me so completely with Your love and compassion that others will see Your joy and peace in me and long for You. I want to be a light for You, pulling others from the darkness of their fear, anger and pain and drawing them into the warmth of Your love and freedom. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.
For deep Bible studies on receiving God’s great love, overcoming conflict and loving others well, see Delight to Be a Woman of Wonder or the men’s version, Dare to Be a Mighty Warrior by Mikaela Vincent at MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.
Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through a donation, or by shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, click the buttons below:
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