Society readily shows you the completeness Christmas is supposed to bring with family, friends, and gatherings, which actually can remind you even more of your heartache, loss, and degradation for those that have loved ones that have left this world, or those whose family have fallen apart, or those unable to go “home” for Christmas (& the endless list goes on). The more you see, the more you are aware of the hopelessness and seemingly irreparable part of your life. Then when you do have family and friends, and go through society’s version of Christmas, sometimes you are left with a sense of incompleteness. You may even begin to self-condemn yourself because you hear all around you, “Christmas should make you happy because it is a time for giving; it is better to give than to receive.” And you give, and give, until your bank account suffers, your debt increases, or you are left completely depleted. Feel depressed just reading this? Well, I do, and I’m writing it! What you have read about is darkness, dwelling in darkness, and the harsh fruit of darkness. Where is the unfailing hope of God in this life, or the truth in what the Bible says? Well, you are eating junk, you are looking and feeding off darkness and you are not even aware of it. God’s design for Christmas? There is a depth to it that will take an eternity to unravel, but in its simplest form, He provided Light so that we no longer have to stumble in the darkness because He humbly, re-connected Himself back to His beloved creation by providing our eternal, Sacrificial Lamb~Jesus. Don’t look outwardly so that you are more aware of what you lack, look inwardly to Jesus and see the completeness, the wholeness; for where you are weak, He is strong; where you are hurting, He brings comfort and healing; where you lack, He fills; where you sin, He forgives and as you actively talk to Jesus within, the Holy Spirit pulls back layers of your spiritual eyes so you are able to more clearly see Him as you go about your daily life. And that is the only way you will be able to give to others with a true joyful heart because the Great I Am is holding your heart in His hands because you have freely chosen Jesus and are no longer stumbling in the darkness without your precious Light. May you freely choose to experience the intimately powerful celebration of Christmas with God, Himself, within you, allowing others to benefit from that as well!