The one thing I’ve learned about the season from now until the end of New Years is that it is not a time to be focusing inwardly.  It is not a time to focus on what you don’t have.  It is not a time to allow the enemy to suck the life out of you and get you focused on dark, depressing, and debilitating thoughts.

These seasons are a time of LIGHT.  It is not only the time to celebrate gratitude and thankfulness or to celebrate The Light, Jesus.  It is a time to BE a light in this world of darkness. You can’t shine your light if you’re busy hiding it behind depression.

I remember one year I was trying to catch depression. We were broke and it was looking dire. One evening during church, I heard someone say that they changed their entire holiday outlook by changing their focus. I went home and began cataloging my many blessings.

What did I have to be depressed over? That I couldn’t put a bunch of gifts under the tree, gifts we didn’t need? That I couldn’t go out and buy new decorations? What a crock.

Yes, crock. I had enough containers of Christmas decorations to decorate the entire neighborhood. We have a beautiful home, heat, food, family up the hill to celebrate with, plenty. We had so much more than other people. I got over myself.

Alpha Hubby, Alpha Son and I decided we would focus outwardly that year. At that time Alpha Hubby was pastor at a nursing home. If you want to put things in perspective, go visit a nursing home.

We decided to buy everyone gifts because so many of them were alone, with family far away, or who didn’t visit, or who were all gone. We wanted to give them something they would like, something to open.

We got with our home church and they got into the idea and donated gifts so we’d have plenty. It wasn’t just useful gifts – things they needed – we found gifts that fit WHO the person was such as the woman who loved perfume or the gentleman who’s feet were always cold. We had a blast and so did they.

It was the best Christmas we ever had, bar none. Why? We thought outwardly. We became a light for others.

Do you know no matter HOW dark a room is, pitch black can’t see your hand in front of your face black, one tiny little lighted candle dispels that darkness. Darkness cannot stand in the face of light.  There is no such thing as a darkness that can overcome light.  There is only such a thing as light always overcoming darkness.

You have a choice during this season.  You can choose to focus on self, inwardly, or you can focus on all God and Jesus have done for you.  Even if it is to simply thank God for pavement to drive a vehicle on instead of dirt ruts and wooden wagon wheels with no shocks, find something to be grateful for this holiday season.

You can focus on helping others because believe me, there are people far worse off than you. You’re reading this via the internet. Some people don’t even have electricity. But your little act of light, no  matter how dark it is in their world, will dispel that darkness for them.

I can’t emphasize this enough: go out and shine your light in someone else’s life.

God is Good, always in all ways! Go and do likewise.