5 Ways to Enjoy Christmas One-on-One with Christ

We must ask, “Have we become so deluded and self-absorbed that we actually think we’re being good stewards of our time?” Tenney described a scene where even a pastor or missionary, so bent on his work, walks past the need God has placed in front of him.

This is part of where prayer comes in; asking God to make those needs obvious and to open the eyes of my heart. 

I hate to think of how many times I probably missed what the Lord was trying to show me because I was set on my plan. At Christmas, I try not to plan too rigidly and let this be a season of flexibility, but without frittering away that time either.

For example, even if I’m not eating a lot of cookies, I could be baking them for others. I find the kitchen a place to really focus on God rather than what I’m doing because the work is familiar. When I stir or knead, the Lord speaks to me, sometimes convicting; always tender, merciful, and direct.

There are even some object lessons in baking and cooking that catch me off guard. It doesn’t matter how many times I make a cake: I never fail to remember how the batter tastes best with a pinch of salt, we must be the salt (Colossians 4:6); how the batter looks inedible until I bake it: don’t trust the outside appearance (1 Samuel 16:7) and have patience, waiting for the transformation that comes with the Lord’s Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).

And then, after all the work is done and the dishes are cleaned (or loaded in the dishwasher), there are tasty, colorful treats to share whether as a gift left on a doorstep, handed out to Salvation Army bell ringers, or eaten with friends when we don’t want to be alone anymore. Plus, the taste-testing, but just a little bit.

I’ll bet many readers, if asked how their week was, would sigh loudly and declare, “Busy!” We all need regular rest; God even commands that we enjoy the Sabbath with him.

This day of rest is critical to our well-being and is a way to show that we trust God — or to practice trying to trust if nothing else.

We have to do this weekly because it definitely does take practice and trusting becomes easier as we see that the Lord is faithful. Besides, how can we hear God when we aren’t resting at all?

A Christmas alone could be the ideal chance to catch up on Sabbath rest. This doesn’t have to be a time of constant doing, not if you don’t want it to be.

Christmas can bring a lot of pressures with it: pressure to perform, to buy the best gifts, to socialize, and so on. But that pressure isn’t what the season is about. Immanuel did not come down to make us busy; he came down to get close to us.

We can’t let him if we don’t stay in one spot long enough. Get alone with God and let him remind you of how and why he came to be with us. Let that quiet time lead to reflection about Christ’s death and resurrection.

Just beware of that creeping sensation that moves from restful solitude to depressing loneliness. Don’t let your alone time develop into a habit.

Mathis commented, “We carve out a season for spiritual respite, in some momentarily sacred space, to feed our souls, enjoying God there in the stillness. Then we enter back in, as light and bread, to a hungry, harassed, and helpless world.”

Engage solitude wisely, and know when to re-engage, or even make an arrangement to check with someone (perhaps another friend who has chosen to be alone this Christmas), just to be sure neither of you takes your solitude to extremes.

If you have a hard time knowing the difference between restful solitude and becoming a hermit, remember Christ’s own example. He always came back, and He will come back.

For further reading:

3 Ways to Keep Jesus at the Center of Your Christmas This Year

How Do We Inwardly Prepare for Christmas?

So What’s for Christmas This Year?

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Olga Yefimova

Candice Lucey is a freelance writer from British Columbia, Canada, where she lives with her family. Find out more about her here.