Every year, the yuletide season has always been stressful for me. All the more this year when finances are tight and people have gotten used to receiving gifts from me, my business and my family.
I was praying to God on my way home last night and I was asking Him for advice on how to cope with the christmas rush. I was worried that people might think that I have turned into a Scrooge or that I wouldn't be able to please them with the gifts that I can afford this year.
When I got home as I was watching TCT, Dr. Charles Stanley of In Touch Ministries came on and gave short tips on how to cope with christmas anxiety. Praise God! A very quick answer to my prayer! Dr. Stanley first started with a reading of Philippians 4:6-7: " Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful thatn the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus." (TLB)
He then gave these tips:
- Pray before adding anything to your calendar.
- Don't go into debt buying gifts.
- Don't feel obliged to buy everyone gifts.
- Keep your focus on what christmas is all about: JESUS CHRIST.
And then he ended up with a reminder that we cannot live up to everyone's expectations.
I guess it was God's way of telling me that it's alright to share whatever I can with what I got. Not to impress. And not grudgingly. But cheerfully.
Perhaps there isn't much to go around. But God is reminding me of the young boy in John 6:1-12 whose lunch pack was only good enough for him. If I entrust my lunch pack to Jesus, He can and will multiply what I have to satisfy everyone on my list.
God is so good!!! He hears our prayers and He answers them on time.
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