devotional

When It’s Not the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Jesus came at Christmas to heal our hurts, including our hidden ones.

No matter who you meet, anywhere around the world, you will always have one thing in common: Everybody has a hidden wound.

Everyone has a wound they’re carrying that’s hidden from everybody else. You may be hiding it well. It may look like you’re successful and happy and you’ve got it all together, but we all know you don’t—because nobody does!

Maybe something was said or done to you a long time ago, and it hurt. Or maybe you have regret about what you said or did to someone, and you’ve hidden it away. You don’t want anybody to know about it because it’s painful and embarrassing.

Then Christmas comes around, and it’s supposed to be the happiest time of the year—a season to celebrate. But in reality, a lot of people are lonely and hurting and dealing with unresolved issues with their families. They have to work even harder over the holidays to keep the effects of their hidden wounds from surfacing.

No matter how you are hurting this Christmas, Jesus Christ can heal you. He can take your resentment, worry, guilt, fear, bitterness, boredom, and pain and cover it with the light of his love. This is what it means for Jesus to be the Light of the World.

Doctors today have discovered there is healing power in light. They use light therapy to stimulate parts of the brain that have been damaged. Lasers are used in all kinds of surgeries. I had laser surgery on my eyes many years ago to restore my sight.

It’s pretty amazing what doctors can do today to heal people. But only God can heal a broken heart, spirit, relationship, or dream. He came to earth to heal your hurt.

When Jesus was born, an angel declared, “I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David’s town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord!” (Luke 2:10-11 GNT).

The good news the angels delivered on the first Christmas is good news for you today too. There is hope for whatever hurts you may have pushed away. When you bring your hurts into the light of Christ, he will heal you and restore your joy.

Rick Warren

Leave a Comment

Recent Posts

La Batalla Contra el Mal ya Está Ganada

“No dejen que el mal los venza, más bien venzan el mal haciendo el bien”.…

19 hours ago

God’s on Your Side—the Winning Side

When you feel overwhelmed, it's important to go to God in prayer and confess your…

19 hours ago

Lo Peor del Infierno

“Les he escrito estas cosas a ustedes, que creen en el nombre del Hijo de…

2 days ago

When You Pray for Relief, Worship First

Life includes times when you feel like you’re in an impossible situation, when you feel…

2 days ago

¿Dónde Pasarás la Eternidad?

“Porque tanto amó Dios al mundo que dio a su Hijo único, para que todo…

3 days ago

Pray First, Pray More

Sometimes it seems the odds are against you. I once read the story of a…

3 days ago