For some people, Christmas is a difficult time. Many are filled with anxiety as the demands of the season compound the difficulties confronting their worried hearts. These worries can range from balancing family pressures to providing meaningful gifts with limited finances. Others are overwhelmed with sorrow as they remember the loss of or separation from loved ones. Too often Christmas increases the ache of loneliness and despair.

The announcement of the very first Christmas created negative emotions in the hearts of the shepherds. They were afraid. Trepidation threatened to overwhelm them when they encountered the messengers heralding the birth of Christ. As the message those angels announced sank in, however, the fear of the shepherds gave way to joy. We can know the joy that was theirs by understanding the message they heard.

Can the angelic good news of great joy move us from the pain of sorrow and worry to the heights of joyfulness? I believe it can. Let me suggest three truths from their message that should lift our spirits.

Peace with God

First, the message is one of a Savior who brings peace between God and men. In our world, all sorts of urgencies crowd out the important. During this season, frantic thoughts often flood our minds: the pain of loss, unmet longings, strained relationships, or the pressure to give the perfect gift.

When such thinking dominates us, we make Christmas about ourselves and our enjoyment and, in the process, lose real joy. It is not wrong to grieve loss. It is not wrong to desire good gifts. But none of those things are the source of Christmas joy.

If you want to be full of joy this Christmas, you need to know that the one thing you truly need is a Savior. You need forgiveness for your sin and power to grow in righteousness. That Savior exists, and Christmas celebrates the day He was born. When you grasp this, you can have joy even when it comes through suffering.

Promise-Keeping God

Second, the message is one of a God who keeps His promises. Luke highlights the fulfillment of God’s word by noting that the Messiah was born in the city of David. God promised that David’s son would come as a Savior (2 Sam. 7:13) and that He would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2). Christmas places the faithfulness of God front and center.

We all know how painful it is to live with people who fail to do what they promise. Christmas reminds us that God always does what He says, when He says it, and how He says it. When seasonal distractions pull at your heart, meditate on the trustworthiness of your Savior God.

Good News for Everyone, Even You

Third, the message is for all people. The angels proclaimed good news of great joy for everyone. They first announced it to shepherds, a despised and overlooked group in the ancient world. Yet God chose them to hear of His Son’s birth.

Even more striking, the King of the universe was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger. Jesus, the high King of heaven, willingly embraced humility. He associates with the lowly.

If you feel low this Christmas, remember this: Jesus came to be your Savior.

Joy in Christ

The holidays can be hard. Loss, grief, and painful memories can cast long shadows. But Christmas is too important to make it about ourselves.

Make Christmas about Jesus Christ. Make it about the day God kept His promise and sent a Savior for all people. If you turn your eyes upon Christ, you can know joy this Christmas, even if you are alone, even if you are in pain, and even if your wife does not like her gift.

For more from our latest series please visit: Christ Our Light and Hope: Reflections for Advent