Everyone talks about love and giving during Christmas time, making it a truly magical season. Love and generosity, more than anything else, reflect the heart of God. The Bible says that God is love and that He loved the world so much He gave His Son. That is the essence of Christmas—the self-sacrificial, other-centered love of God found in Christ Jesus. This love teaches us how to deny ourselves and give our lives away, just as He did.
In the past, I believed that denying myself meant I didn’t have the right to express my anger and that I needed to be patient with others. While I still hold onto that belief, I am beginning to understand that denying myself truly means dying to my own desires so that He can live more fully in and through me. This transformation only occurs when I abide in Him. I now see that this self-denial, rather than being a burden, is actually a source of joy and inspiration.
In John 15, Jesus spoke extensively about the importance of abiding in Him. He described Himself as the Vine and us as the branches, explaining that when we remain connected to Him, His life flows into us, enabling us to bear fruit. Additionally, while we are abiding in Him, the Father prunes away all our excesses and distractions. Personally, I have a lot of “junk” that needs to be pruned, including false dependencies, fear, emotional eating, and various other personal issues.
A few weeks ago, I experienced this profound revelation and was filled with joy in my relationship with Jesus. For nearly three weeks, my mind and heart were focused on Him, making it pleasurable to deny myself. I had no trouble turning down plates of sugary treats, and I didn’t take offense when my husband was short-tempered. I felt at peace and centered during that time.
Then, I let the busyness of Christmas get to me, and the next thing you know, the gift-giving effort made me forget the Gift God gave us. Once again, life became all about me: how I felt and what I needed and wanted. My self-denial went down the tubes and was replaced by a sugar binge, some trashy TV, and a series of fights with the hubs.
I have noticed that this cycle has occurred countless times before, but now I am paying closer attention to the process and found some interesting insights. To abide in Christ means to spend time with Him, to dwell in His presence, and to seek Him wholeheartedly. However, when I fail to let Jesus occupy that vital space in my life, I am still abiding; I am simply abiding in the wrong thing(s).
I may find myself abiding in the sugary treats someone dropped off for Christmas. They fill my mind, and I linger in the kitchen until they’re on my plate and in my mouth—over and over again. I also tend to dwell on my problems, which usually leads me to seek out more sugary treats. This cycle leads to mindless TV watching, making me believe that other people’s relationships are better than mine. This belief triggers feelings of marital neediness, hurt, and even more eating.
This Christmas, I received a profound revelation from the Holy Spirit. We were created to dwell and abide in Him, but we lost our way in the fall. Since then, we have been focusing on all the wrong things. Jesus came to us in the flesh to teach us how to reclaim our lives. We regain our lives by giving them to Him. Abiding in Him isn’t difficult; it’s actually hard not to! Trust me on this—if you’re not abiding in Him, you’re likely placing your trust in something that is draining your life.
We discover the true meaning of our lives when we give them away. This Christmas, offer yourself, your time, and your attention to Jesus as a gift. You’ll soon realize that this gift returns far more to you than what you initially gave. See you next year!
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