Captive at Christmas?
He Came to Set You Free!
This has always been my favorite time of the year. Regardless of whatever it is I’m going through, I love the feeling of this season. I love the visual beauty, the sounds, the aromas, the fashions and the memories. It’s true that I have many wonderful memories of Christmas…not only the day of, but the days leading up to it, and the days afterward still enjoying family and friends.
I know that often throughout the Christmas season, however, I will become emotional. Sometimes it’s just a matter of sweet nostalgia, and at other times, I will feel some sadness. There have been years when I’ve had to work at getting along with others around me which made me rather frustrated, and so there’s some hesitation inside of me due to those past experiences. I remember growing up, I sometimes would feel nervous about being around certain people who just did not like the Christmas season. It’s taken years for me to understand how and why people get like that, but it’s never stopped me from loving this time of the year.
There’s been Christmas’ when I was sick with pregnancy and others when we enjoyed watching our little ones with their first Christmas experiences. There’s been Christmas’ when we barely had more than a “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree, and others when the whole house was decorated. There’s been years when we’ve lost loved ones right at this time of year or experienced broken families. Then there have been others when a new life was born into ours.
I know there are a lot of reasons for people to become depressed at this time of year…finances, past hurts, loneliness. I’m so very thankful that I’ve never experienced the demons of depression regardless of what I’m forced to go through. I could say that it’s due to my relationship with Jesus, and I would never minimize that, but I know that many fellow Christians experience such emotional oppression even though they know exactly who they are in Christ. There’s definitely no easy answer to these things. It’s not simply one end of the spectrum or the other. It’s not always clinical requiring medication and it’s not always spiritual. Sometimes it is one or the other, but most often it’s a combination of both. Though regardless, God can deliver anyone no matter where on the spectrum they are.
I heard yesterday that there was a sudden traffic jam on a nearby freeway no doubt holding up countless people from making it to their destination in due time. The cause was a man who decided to end his life by stepping out into traffic. In the midst of my joyous time of watching my children decorate the house while busying myself in the kitchen making a winter stew, someone’s holiday depression completely overcame him. I don’t know if he knew of the hope of Jesus, the real reason for the constant festivities at this time. I’m not going assume one thing or another. I’m still at a loss of how to feel, and I just wish it hadn’t happened.
No, I don’t understand it, and I’m not sure if I’m supposed to. When faced with the opportunities, I know there are a lot of things I can do to help others like offering acts of service or donations. But when the situation is beyond anything that I could actually do, then what? I know that, if I were given the opportunity to talk to that man before he took his life, I’m not sure if anything I could’ve said would’ve helped him. There’s only one thing I know for sure that I can do…and it not only can help but will help anyone in any situation regardless of who they are and what they’re going through. I can pray, for praying is not just offering up good and warm thoughts, but it’s activating the power of God into the situation.
As I said, I am so very thankful that I am not someone who suffers with depression at this time of year. I’ve felt financial difficulties, mourned death and experienced loneliness, but I’ve never let it stop me in rejoicing in the birth of my Lord. That doesn’t mean there’s something great about me because of it. The only thing great about me is my God, and He is the one who can deliver all those who do suffer. He came! Yes, He came to be born, to live and to die. Yes, He came to die so our sins can be forgiven, but that’s not all His death did. His salvation is not just for the afterlife. His salvation is to bring joy in this life! He came! He came to bind up the brokenhearted, and proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners. And that applies to us while we are still in this life. I love this time of year, but I don’t love how others suffer. Yes, there are some things I can do, but when it requires something beyond my capacity, I can pray these words over them. Anyone who is bound like a prisoner in their hopeless life can be set free by the power of Jesus, and our prayers for them release that power. If you find yourself as a prisoner, He can, and it is His will to set you free. If you find yourself knowing someone who is a prisoner, don’t give up laboring in prayer for them. You’d be amazed how much your prayers can do for them.
Amie Spruiell
12/02/2011
thanks for this post, Amie. I get severe depression at times, but this time of year is joyous for me. I know there are many who are actually more depressed during the holidays, just as you said. Prayer is definitely a major help!
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