3 Powerful Scriptures for Anxiety this Holiday Season

3 Powerful Scriptures for Anxiety this Holiday Season

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Inside: Are you struggling with increase anxiety this Holiday season? Here are 3 powerful scriptures to help! Also check out my guide for 5 Tips for Managing the Holidays with Anxiety

I remember heading to the family Christmas parties a few years ago feeling numb. I was struggling with insomnia and was barely getting two hours of sleep a night.

Anxiety was effecting me because I was wrapped up in not being able to sleep at night. And I wasn’t able to sleep at night because my anxiety was ramped up. It was a vicious cycle.

Since Christmas is my favorite team of year, I was also grieving because I couldn’t enjoy it feeling the way I was. I was also beating myself up for feeling this way because of the thought that Jesus was sent during this time and I wasn’t feeling joy-filled.

Maybe you’re right here, friend!

Perhaps your anxiety is strongly present or maybe it’s increasing and you are starting to feel guilt because of the time of year it is.

I want to share some truths with you, would that be ok?

Here’s what I want to begin with!

The Holidays and Anxiety

The holidays are anxiety provoking for many people.

The reasons are many but the Holiday season comes with an underlying anxious component. If you don’t believe me, ask people.

The Power of Expectations

We all have expectations.

These are the thoughts and ideals we have for the Holiday season. 

This is so varied from person to person but let me explain mine.

A perfectly decorated tree encircled by gifts that looked like they have been professionally wrapped. A Christmas eve dinner cooked and served with care. All of my kids home and healthy for the holidays. etc.

(Can I add that my 9 year old helped wrap a few gifts last night and oh my goodness has that expectation fallen by the wayside already!)

It’s normal to have expectations but many times we just can’t get to the level we expect.

Man, we live in a world that is broken and messy and when we expect too highly, we are bound to be disappointed.

I’m not saying we can’t have expectations but we also have to be able to accept that life throws curveballs and obstacles and to be ok with what is.

Pain in the Holidays

We all struggle with hurt and loss. The holidays is like a Band-Aid that can be ripped off and have tender skin and pain under it.

During the holidays we are more aware of the empty chair at the table or the cookie grandma made.

For many, the holidays aren’t the happiest time of the year.

Finances Struggles and this Season

During this time of year, keeping a budget can be hard while also giving people gifts.

Spending more than we can or should can leave people feeling anxious about how they are going to manage next month and after.

The topic of finances and money drives more anxiety in people than all the others.

Here in the United States, we have felt the increase in prices for just daily living so this holiday season will bring a new level of anxious feelings.

The Inability to be Present

So many of the anxiety causers I listed above all direct back to this topic.

When we are consumed by anxiety, its hard to be fully present anywhere.

Isn’t that the truth?

When we are wrapped up in expectations or pain or feelings of financial pressure, we don’t really enjoy anything. The season rushes us by and we didn’t even take the time to really be aware and embrace it.

I don’t know about you but every year I try and enjoy it and then it slips by, but I really want to put all of these feeling listed above aside and enjoy this year.

What Can God’s Word Tell Us Regarding the Holidays?

When I spent some time asking for wisdom for this post, the word fear popped into my mind.

Is that what we are doing?

Is it fear of not having control when we don’t achieve in our minds what we want the holidays to look like?

Is it fear we are actually feeling when the pain of a loved one consumes us this time of year? Maybe we fear not remembering them anymore or that we will never be loosen of this pain and sadness?

Could not be fully presence be a mechanism that keeps us safe instead of vulnerable of accepting what is?

As you (and I) ponder my questions, can I share something else with you?

The Difference Between Expectation and Hope

As believers in Jesus, we know that He guides our life. Because we have made Him Lord and Savior of our lives, we trust He has good things planned for us even when to our human eyes it might not appear that way.

Father knows best, right?

When we hope in the Lord, we know He’s in control and has us.

However with expectations, it’s taking that control from God and telling Him that we actually know what is best.

Youch!

How the Holidays unfold is exactly how God wants them to be and we need to accept that because the Father gives good gifts.

Did you just feel the weight being lifted off?

Now I’m not saying you can’t have a nice whatever or desire something but are you ok with being ok if it doesn’t happen the way you desire?

What if the greatest gift to each of us is experiencing the holidays just as it is? Messy and many full of emotions, but grateful that God is present with us constantly giving us gifts (that we aren’t even aware of mostly!)

3 Powerful Scriptures for Anxiety this Holiday Season

 

 

I wanted to share this free guide with you about 5 Tips for Managing the Holidays with Anxiety.

Christmas Posts from the Past:

Joy in A Hot Christmas Mess

A Barren Womb at Christmas

9 of the Best Christian Women Authors to Give as Christmas Gifts

How to Believe In the Impossible with God this Christmas

 

 

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