A few months ago I was feeling especially sad… tragedy had hit the home of a very dear friend and the weight of pandemic realities seemed unbearably heavy at times. I found myself crying way more than usual and for a little while I wondered if something was wrong with me.
After all, depression and anxiety had been very real struggles for me in the past… but this sadness was different.
The best way I could describe how I felt was that I was in a very dark cave, all alone. Which certainly sounds depressing, but that wasn’t all… it was as though I was in this very dark cave, all alone and very sad. Everything felt dark, lonely and sad… and, yet, there was this deep knowledge within me that somewhere at the very, very bottom of this very dark cave was a river. That river symbolized peace to me.
No matter how sad or dark things felt, I wasn’t feeling anxious or fearful. I wasn’t in a panic to leave and although light never broke through, there was always this distinct sense of peace that I could not shake! And to be honest I didn’t want to try… that peace, that river in the cave, was my lifeline.
Jesus taught the people around him to mourn with those who mourn. He taught his disciples saying, “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted!”
As we get closer and closer to Christmas, I find myself reflecting on this deep, unshakable peace I have felt lately. I’ve been amazed at the ways it truly does surpass all understanding and how lost I would be without it.
Jesus, the Prince of Peace, lived among us so that we could know the kingdom of His Father. A kingdom where the blessed ones are those who are mourning… not because feeling sad is where the glory’s at… but because they would be comforted. Because no matter how dark or alone or sad things get, his Spirit is there with us! The Spirit of God that was sent to be our comfort.
We must feel the difficult feelings. We must cry the tears no matter how often they threaten to pour out over our cheeks. We must see the hurt around us and engage with it! We must mourn with those who mourn and receive the comfort that is continually being extended to us.
Lord, as Christmas draws nearer and nearer, many of us are experiencing the closeness of grief and mourning as well. We don’t always know what to do with these hurts and pains, but you told us that you would send a Comforter; You told us that you would be here with us.
Please, would you make yourself known to us?
Holy Spirit, would you remind us of your presence? Not that we would leave the difficult places, but that if we must stay there a little longer, we might do so with you… We do not want to live this life apart from you and we thank you, Jesus, for coming to this earth to show us that God is with us.
May the story of Christmas become new for each and every one of us as we remember the arrival of our Prince of Peace.
Amen.