“It’s the most _______ time of the year…”
The classic tune tells us that this is the most wonderful time of year. But let me ask you—what word would you use to fill in that blank based solely on how you’re feeling right now?
Stressful? Sad? Busy? Frustrating? Lonely? Maybe all of the above, depending on the day. Perhaps there is a genuine measure of wonder and joy mixed in as well. Still, the holidays can be complicated, and most of us know that to be true.
When we are struggling with difficult emotions, regardless of the season, God can feel quite far away from us. Perhaps even absent, silent, hidden, or uncaring. Depression can feel like being trapped in an empty darkness, far removed from a loving God. Anxiety can feel like carrying the weight of the world on our own shoulders without any relief in sight from Him. Anger can feel like everything is uphill and against us while the Lord seemingly refuses to intervene. Trauma can feel like a brokenness inside that is beyond reach or repair, even by the Creator of all things. When our hearts are weighed down like this, it can feel as though God is not with us or for us at all.
It’s here that the miracle of the Incarnation - the very thing we anticipate throughout Advent and celebrate at Christmas - takes on profound significance. The Son of God became one of us and dwelt among us. Jesus entered into the full reality of our human frailty and suffering. He “became flesh and made His dwelling among us” (John 1:14). He “took up our pain and bore our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). He is therefore fully able to “empathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus knows the burdens of our hearts and minds not in some distant or abstract sense, but intimately and personally, because He chose to take them upon himself for our sake.
So if this season does not feel like the most wonderful time of year for you (or even if it does), I want to encourage you to look afresh to this Jesus. The little baby in the Nativity scene. The focal point of those all-too-familiar Gospel stories with shepherds and angels and swaddling clothes. The name we repeat in our beloved Christmas carols. The one who came to dwell among us. This very same Jesus knows exactly how you feel, whatever you feel, and He is with you and for you in the midst of it.
An Advent Prayer for Those Who Aren't Feeling It
Want to put this truth into practice? Here is a short prayer to guide your meditation during the remainder of this Advent season.
Jesus, my heart is weary and weak. You see me just as I am, and you understand what it is to feel the way that I do. In this season of waiting, help me to remember that you are near to me even when I feel far away from you. Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Written by: Matt Warren, LMHC MDiv (Executive Director)
Check out some of these recent posts from the HCC team on our Instagram account on navigating the holidays and mental health. Be sure to follow us for more exclusive content like this being released weekly.
Take Part in Our "Invest in Healing" Campaign!
As we wrap up the year, we’re especially grateful for the way this community makes care possible for so many who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access it. We believe mental health care shouldn’t be a luxury. Through the Harbor Christian Partnership, we’re removing financial barriers so anyone can access biblically informed, gospel-driven, clinically skilled counseling.
If Harbor has encouraged you this year, and if you’re looking for a meaningful place to give, we invite you to consider a year-end gift. Your generosity helps provide counseling scholarships and expands resources just like this one.
Learn more about our year-end giving campaign: Invest in Healing.
