In addition to regularly reading and meditating on God’s Word, let me suggest two additional ways to get more Jesus this holiday season.
- Sing: Whether in the car, while you study or around the house, fill your mind with what is praiseworthy and sing your way through your busyness. Consider checking out: Austin Stone Worship, Caroline Cobb, Shane & Shane, Keith and Kristyn Getty or Ellie Holcomb. For kids, check out the Getty Kids albums or Sovereign Grace Kids.
- Study: Consider working through an Advent Study or devotional. Fixing your mind on the first coming of Christ and anticipating the second coming of Christ has a way putting our busy schedules in perspective. Risen Motherhood has compiled a helpful list of Recommended Advent Resources I would encourage you to check out.
2. As Family: Put Jesus at the center of your family. Family time is obligatory for almost everyone during the holidays. However, we can fail to reflect and celebrate Jesus intentionally as a family. This may not be anything radical. It may mean putting the cell phones up at the dinner table to talk about what God is teaching you through His Word. Maybe it means doing an Advent study together as a family leading up to Christmas. Perhaps it means reading the Birth narrative on Christmas morning. Make traditions that foster a deeper understanding of and love for Jesus. Additionally, consider who you might bring into your family to enjoy this with you—singles or those from broken homes. If you are single, consider how to cultivate these type of rhythms and experiences in the community God has given you.
3. Corporately: More and more people are simply too busy for church. Throw in a dose of holiday busyness and it’s a wonder that anyone comes to church outside of the Christmas Eve service. In all seriousness, time, not theology, is driving more and more people away from the church. In all of our busyness, we simply cannot neglect the corporate gathering of the church. The Christian faith is not merely me and Jesus or my family and Jesus. It Jesus and His bride—the church (Matt. 16:18; Heb. 10:23-25). A commitment to the church will cost you time, but it is worth the cost. When we gather as the church, we receive the Word of God along with God’s people, both of which give shape to our busy lives.
The key to fighting busyness during the holidays—or any other day—is to focus ourselves on Jesus through being in His Word, centering our relationships on Him, and pursuing Him alongside other believers in the church.
