The Gift of Jesus: A Five-Day Devotional for the HolidaysSample

Joy is a word we see everywhere this time of year — on cards, on ornaments, even lit up on front lawns. But it can be hard to be joyful when you’re weighed down by stress, grief, or uncertainty.

For most of my life, I never struggled to find joy at Christmas. That is, until the year my father passed away on Christmas Eve after a long battle with alcohol. That Christmas looked and felt different. The songs, the lights, the traditions — none of them could drown out the ache. What should have been a season of celebration was buried under a grief I couldn’t escape.

Maybe you’ve had a Christmas like that, too, where loss or pain made joy feel out of reach. But Jesus promised us all joy, even the brokenhearted, the weary, the ones sitting in sorrow. That’s the miracle of Christmas. Joy isn’t rooted in perfect circumstances. Rather, joy is rooted in Jesus. He came into a hurting, messy world to bring hope, and when we turn our eyes toward Him, even in the middle of heartache, we begin to see that hope is still alive.

If joy feels far away this season, know that you are not alone. We don’t have to plaster smiles on our faces or pretend everything is fine. Jesus never asked us to fake our emotions. He will meet us where we are, and He will fill our hearts with joy.

Prayer: Jesus, be my joy when life feels heavy. Remind me that Your hope is alive in me today.