“Don’t Forget the Lonely, the Depressed, the Grieving this Christmas Season”

THIS WAS WRITTEN IN DECEMBER 2016.

Even though we’re now into The Christmas Season, my Aunt Jo is going to be very sad this month. You see, her calendar has many painful reminders of losses she’s endured...December is the anniversary of when she married RAY, her beloved late husband...in fact it’s also his BIRTHDAY that same day. The following Sunday is HER birthday, which helps a little, but a few days later it’s the 55th anniversary of when she lost her mom. Oh, I pray that Jo will get SAVED and start attending that good church near her...it will help an awful lot with the loneliness she feels!! But even if she DOES get saved, chances are she’ll still get sad quite often as she was happily married...and widowed...TWICE before.

Jo is alone from a marital standpoint but she is NOT alone in terms of being sad, for one reason or another, during The Christmas Season.

I’ve been a Christian for almost 42 years but as the anniversary of my unsaved dad’s passing, on Christmas Day, approaches again I, too, struggle with grief. And there are many people like this who will never tell you, verbally, that they’re hurting for one reason or another. We have to LOOK for them with a heart that wants to see, and help. Sometimes just letting them know we care helps.

Their pain is often compounded when they see “everyone” else in “The Christmas Spirit” and they feel left out, isolated, and, frankly, sometimes MISUNDERSTOOD. You see, everyone who’s not in a super bubbly mood this time of year isn’t necessarily a “Scrooge” or a “Grinch.” They might just be someone who is HURTING....someone who we should be reaching out to if we really want to honor The Lord Jesus Christ’s birthday.

But, sadly, sometimes it’s just easier to judge people as Scrooges rather than reach out and try to help them.

See, Jesus wants us to care for others more than He wants us to remember His birthday....that’s why His Word is filled with commands to reach out to orphans, widows and “the weak”, to “weep with those who weep,” etc. but there is not one mention of remembering His Birthday each year. No, not one.

We are commanded in Scripture to remember His DEATH for us...but never His BIRTH and that’s because He focused on OTHERS (those of us who have repented and believed), and not Himself. Let us go and do likewise, to honor Him!!

I close with a poem I wrote recently, from the perspective of one who is hurting this time of year (not me at PRESENT, though I was like this when I was a TEEN, and very lonely at times.) I hope it makes you think.

“I’M SORRY THAT I’M SAD”

I’m sorry that I’m sad

at this special time of year

when you all have Christmas Cheer

and I feel bad.

I’m sorry, so sorry that I’m sad.

I’m sorry that I’m sad

this month brings me such pain

as I relive, again

the good times that I had

with loved ones who’ve passed on

and joy just all seems gone...

I’m sorry that I’m sad..................................and can’t explain.