5 Names of God to Sustain Us When the Holidays Hurt
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year … except when it isn’t.
I’ve always loved November and December — the cooler weather, the Christmas lights and décor, the anticipation of joy to come. But this year’s been a hard one for our family. A long season of grief and loss.
The holidays hit differently this year.
Carols playing in the grocery store bring an ache instead of happiness. Long-enjoyed traditions stir up a confusing tangle of sentimentality and sadness. The hustle and bustle just makes me tired.
If you, too, are facing a hard holiday season, I invite you to join me in stepping back, out of the rush and the noise, so we can tend to our souls and lean close to the Savior we celebrate this month.
Here are five names of God I’m resting in this December:
1. The God Who Sees
“Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are God Who Sees’; for she said, ‘Have I not even here [in the wilderness] remained alive after seeing Him [who sees me with understanding and compassion]?’” (Genesis 16:13, AMP).
As much as I’d love a picture-perfect holiday with nothing but peace and joy, that isn’t the true essence of Christmas. When Jesus entered our world, the inn was full, his guests were lowly shepherds, and a murderous king sat on the throne. No sterile hospital or cozy house, no feast gracing an elegantly set table. Jesus came to a world that was broken.
So when our own worlds are broken, it’s as if Jesus says to our souls, “Christmas is for you.”
We don’t have to paste on smiles or stay busy to keep the pain at bay. He invites us to slow down, bring him our emotions, and be still in his presence. He feels our grief. He knows where our hope is fading. He sees us with understanding and compassion and holds healing in his presence.
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2. Sympathetic Witness
“Jesus wept” (John 11:35).
The shortest verse in Scripture is also one of the most profound. At his friend Lazarus’ tomb, surrounded by broken-hearted friends and family, Jesus let his tears mingle with their own. He knew full well he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. But he didn’t skip the sadness. Instead, he entered the grief of his loved ones and met them in their pain.
He who is the resurrection and the life allowed himself to feel the weight of a world infected with death, and he wept with his people over it.
He sees our sorrow, too, and is a sympathetic witness to our pain.
3. Man of Sorrows
“He was despised and rejected — a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down” (Isaiah 53:3-4).
Not only did Jesus feel other people’s pain, he also experienced it personally on every level.
He lost his cousin John to death. His brothers doubted his identity. One disciple betrayed him and the others abandoned him in his darkest hour. He was falsely accused, beaten, and stripped naked to hang on a cross, a public spectacle gawked at by passersby.
Man of sorrows — what a fitting name. He bore physical pain, emotional heartbreak, and spiritual disconnection from the Father as the Son carried our sins. He chose this so we could become whole through reconciliation with God.
No wonder Hebrews tells us, “Now that we know what we have — Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God — let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all — all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help” (Hebrews 4:14-16, The Message).
At Christmastime and all through the year, may we learn to do exactly that — come boldly to the God of grace, knowing he welcomes all who draw near. Let’s pour our hearts out to him and receive the comfort he longs to give us (Psalm 62:8).
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4. Our Source
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
Hard times have a way of draining our vitality. Sadness tries to suffocate our joy. Anxiety screams in the face of our peace. Disappointment laughs at our hope.
Oh, how we need an endless source to replenish our souls, a spring of living water to quench the parched landscape of our hearts and bodies. In the Holy Spirit, Jesus gave us this source.
“Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, ‘Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, “Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.”’ (When he said ‘living water,’ he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him)” (John 7:37-39).
What do you most need today? Jesus offers to meet you there with the living waters of his Spirit.
Sometimes he provides simply by inviting us into his presence where he fills up our empty spaces and refreshes our lagging hope. Other times he meets our needs through the words and actions of those who encourage us and show love on a practical level.
Whatever we need, he welcomes us to come boldly to him and lay bare our souls. He offers to be our safe place as he meets us with gentleness and love.
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5. Immanuel
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 1:23).
At Christmastime two millennia ago, Immanuel came to be God with us. Those in the Old Testament had heard about him. Moses glimpsed his glory. The Israelites saw his cloud and fire in the wilderness.
But in Jesus, God came near. With human feet, the Divine walked our dusty roads. With human eyes, he observed the everydayness of our world. He laughed and cried and celebrated and grieved. He fully immersed himself in the human experience — all but the part where we sinned. Yet he felt our sin and its effects when he bore them in his body while hanging on the cross.
In Jesus, God came to be with us. And when he returned to the Father, the Spirit came in his place so God could continue to be with us.
We are not alone.
When we feel battered by relentless storms, as if we just found our footing only to be knocked down again, God is still with us. He invites us to continually retreat to his presence, to rest in his love for us and anchor ourselves in the steadfastness of his character. There’s no storm too big, no crisis too debilitating, no loss too devastating that he cannot cocoon us with his tender compassion and care.
“This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him” (Psalm 91:2).
Wherever you find yourself this Christmastime, I pray you’ll experience God’s goodness in tangible ways. May you continually draw upon the limitless waters of life. May you find joy and comfort in Immanuel and may the God of hope fill you to overflowing with his peace.
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