A friend of mine told me a story about something funny that happened with her over the holidays. She moved to New England some years ago, but her roots are in the south, and she typically ships gifts to her family there. Admittedly, shopping during the holidays can be a little hectic, but mailing gifts adds another layer. Long lines and waits is no joke, so she usually ships gifts well in advance. This year was a little different. My friend had a particularly busy season with visiting relatives and friends, and a huge holiday gathering to plan. She was so busy in fact that when she traveled to the post office to mail her gifts, she got out of her car and proceeded to walk in the building with no gifts in tow. She suddenly realized that she had driven all the way there and forgotten to even put the packages in the car. She had the mission straight, but the reason behind it had gotten away from her.
This speaks to the fragility of the human mind, and how it can cause us to miss things when it’s on overload. My great-grandmother, the matriarch in our family, understood this very well. We lovingly coined her Mo’ because she was many things to many people. Mother, father, grandmother, teacher, friend, confidant…you name it, she was happy to fit in wherever and whenever she was needed, but she understood her limitations. She taught us, “always put away a little something for yourself.” As with many lessons that we are taught in our youth, we don’t understand them then, but as we get older, we recognize the gems we were given.
The holiday season has passed, and prayerfully we all enjoyed it, but the reality of responsibilities and obligations forever calls. For some this is a return to a degree of panic and urgency that might overshadow the joys we experienced only days ago. Some of us adverted a financial crisis for a little while, and now it’s time to pay the piper. Others of us had some really complicated relationship issues that we put on the backburner until after the season. And a slew of sisters were optimistic about meeting a special someone a few months ago, and now might be feeling deflated, because things didn’t turn out as they had hoped. Considering all this, we could get zapped with post-holiday blues if we fail to keep our eyes on the prize.
The holiday season should be about celebrating Christ and the newness he brings. This part of our mission is clear. It is to share him and his love with as many people as possible. And as we get ready for the new year, we ought to be geared for new hopes with a new attitude and renewed thoughts of God’s goodness. This is the reset we all need. The challenge is not to become so bombarded with all kinds of pressures and worries that we let the reason behind our mission slip away from us.
The reason for our mission slips away from us because we have a difficult time valuing ourselves the way that God values us. If we did, we wouldn’t allow anything to come between our relationship with Him. Like the advice of my great-grandmother, we’d always put away a slice of time and a piece of ourselves that we reserve only for the habitation of His goodness. We’d never allow doubt, fear, or anything dark to touch it, because we’d highly value that part of ourselves and guard it with everything in us. God tells us that if we’re diligent to do this, He’ll keep us in His peace. Philippians 4:6-7(NKJV) says,“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 6:19-21(NLT), “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” We should be committed to this and renew it every chance we get. The Lord knows how easy it is for us to become consumed with our problems. We focus on what we don’t have, when our focus should be on the relationship we have with God through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is our true treasure, and once we have an attitude adjustment about this, we’re well on our way to advancing ourselves in the mission to love and live like Christ. ■
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“A Little Something for Yourself”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2018. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.