Digital Only: Young Adults
Are You Having a Hard Christmas? You’re Not Alone
When my mind was focused on the expectations of the holiday, I completely missed the point of it all—celebrating Jesus Christ.
I don’t know about you, but for me, the holidays can come with a lot of expectations. I tend to become overly focused on the materialistic parts of Christmas, like gifts, decorations, and social media posts.
When I was a newlywed in college, the expectations I had for myself only grew, and the holidays became an especially hard time for me.
To make things worse, my spouse and I felt an extra burden from being away from our families. We felt so displaced as we tried to navigate our new lives as a couple, and that made it even harder to focus on Jesus Christ.
Maybe you’ve been in a similar situation. You might be learning to adapt to new circumstances, whether it’s being away from home, serving a mission, studying in college, celebrating the season after a loss, or something else entirely.
When we have too many worldly expectations for ourselves, we can lose focus of what is most important. But it can be just as easy to reclaim that focus on Jesus Christ! With the right mindset and consistent repentance, we can remember the most important reason for this holiday season—the birth of the Savior. Remembering this truth can help us find comfort when we need it the most.
Here are three things I do to keep my mind focused on the Savior when I’m going through a difficult holiday season.
Remember That Christ Understands
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know exactly what is happening in your life. They understand what you lack and know the best way to get you where you need to be. When I am going through a hard time, I remind myself of these comforting words in 3 Nephi 13:
“Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him. ...
“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
“For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things” (verses 8, 31–32).
I trust that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know what is happening in my life, especially during the busy holidays. They understand how I am feeling. If I sincerely ask Heavenly Father for help, He can bless my life and help me find the comfort and focus I need.
Be Intentional with Your Time
When the holidays feel chaotic and overwhelming, I find peace when I focus on what I can control. One of these things is how I choose to spend my time.
As Elder Ian S. Ardern of the Seventy reminded us: “What time we have we must use wisely. President Brigham Young said, ‘We are all indebted to God for the ability to use time to advantage, and he will require of us a strict account of [its] disposition’ (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young [1997], 286).”
When we spend our time developing our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, we can have a greater capacity to feel Their love and peace. Things like consistent prayer, scripture study, and temple attendance can strengthen our relationship with Them, even if those things don’t completely fix how we are feeling.
Find Ways to Serve
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are expected to serve others however and wherever we can. In Mosiah 2:17, we are taught that “when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”
So when I am feeling down during this time of year, I like to focus my attention on serving others. When I do this, I can more easily feel the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life and my burdens feel lighter (see Matthew 11:29–30). Taking these small yet powerful steps helps me better align my Christmas celebrations with the Savior’s will.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught more about this principle: “When we look at our lives and see a hundred things to do, we feel overwhelmed. When we see one thing—loving and serving God and His children, in a hundred different ways—then we can work on those things with joy.”
Whatever you are going through this holiday season, I can promise that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are always with you! They know your circumstances perfectly, and if you hold to your faith and rely on Their power, your Savior and Heavenly Father can guide you to where you need to be.