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The lovely season of Christmas is filled with food, Christmas lights, decorated trees, traditional music, mixed in with a generous helping of craziness. It amazes me every year that despite the downright maddening pace of December that Christmas is an ideal time to connect to God’s peace.  

Mary’s response to her precarious situation is truly remarkable. She has much to teach us about peace in spite of difficulty. She can teach us the work of developing peace, because peace doesn’t come easily or naturally. It can be, and usually is, labor. 

In the midst of feeling completely frightened, and having no idea how or why she was going to have a baby, Mary’s declared, “I am the Lord’s Servant. May it be to me as you have said.” This is beautiful. Rather than stating the reasons she couldn’t be pregnant and why it was a horrible idea, she declared who she was and her openness to God’s will.  

Her Experience was a Troubled Spirit, yet her response was to align her emotions of the situation with the Words and Promise of God.

How beautiful it is to reflect on Mary’s peace-filled response. I imagine it took much restraint and soul searching in that moment. Was she to believe the laws of nature or this heavenly guest? Was she to weigh her age, gender, and social situation more heavily than who this angel said she was? Was she to allow the natural feelings and emotions overshadow the immensity of heavenly blessing that she would encounter?

Mary’s response required labor…a deep-down-soul-and-spirit labor.

Just like Mary, we must ask ourselves in the midst of a troubled spirit, “Am I ‘going to believe my fear and disbelief, or am I going to rest in the peace of who God says I am and who God says He is?”

May you sense, explore, and labor for the peace that Christmas can bring.

Compliments of Practical Family Living, Inc.

P.O. Box 1676, Appleton, WI 54912 (920) 720-8920

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