Many of us have overwhelming problems that make it hard for us to get excited about the Holidays. Some of us in here are so overwhelmed with financial difficulties or problems with our children. Some of us are suffering physical or emotional pain and we can’t get into the holiday spirit. It doesn’t matter if its Christmas or not, when you are hurting you’re hurting and it is tough to be positive.

Discouragement and exhaustion are always related especially around the holidays. So let’s make a pledge that we are not going to wear ourselves out the next few days. Christmas is not a time to run ourselves ragged. I don’t know how many of you have told me how busy you have been this Christmas. You know what Ecclesiastes 10:15 says? "Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they have no strength for even the simplest tasks."
Christmas is a time to shift gears from the pace of life in the modern world and focus on the spiritual. Jesus came into this world to bring you peace, not anxiety. Christmas is not a time to wear yourself out with activity. Psalm 46:10 says? “Be still and know that I am God.”
That verse says if you want to know and experience God you’ve got to stop. The purpose of Christmas is not to visit relatives. The purpose of Christmas it is not to open presents. The purpose of Christmas is not to make it to Grandma’s in 45 minutes or less. The purpose of Christmas is to know God, but you cannot do that if you don’t slow down.

Discouragement usually occurs when we begin to focus on ourselves. We erroneously think that the way out of discouragement and depression is to analyze ourselves to death and focus on getting our needs met. But what we need is to forget about ourselves and find someway to get our mind off our problems. Serving another human being is the best way I know to refocus your thoughts. When you serve someone it lifts your spirit. Plus it makes you too concerned for someone else’s well being to worry about your own. When I do something for someone else it always gets me out of the dumps.So perhaps there is someone in your family, who needs help over the next couple of weeks. Help them. Maybe go to the nursing home and visit an elderly person and bring them a Christmas card. The City Mission downtown is looking for donations; go down there and hand them a check. Maybe there is a needy family in your church you could reach out to and buy gifts for or cook a meal. I guarantee that if you make an effort to serve someone, it will lift your spirits this holiday.

That is why the Bible says, “It is more blessed to give of than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) Do you know one of the reasons Jesus came at Christmas time? He came to serve!
In Mark 10:45 Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus was born into this world to serve. If you are struggling this Christmas with discouragement, why not try helping someone out. It may just make you feel better.