Staying focused on Jesus can be difficult, even during the Christmas season. The entire holiday of Christmas is celebrated for the anniversary of Jesus being born into the world. With this in mind, it is important to stay focused on Jesus, especially during the Christmas season.
If you have not yet dedicated your entire Christmas to being focused on Jesus, this is a great year to try. This does not mean you are always talking about Jesus, but it does mean that He stays at the front of your mind throughout the holiday season.
If you are struggling to stay focused on Jesus this Christmas, you have come to the right place. While it can be easy to read these five different ways, it is completely different to actually follow them and apply them to your life.
It is only when you apply them to your life that you will be able to stay truly focused on the Lord. Here are five ways to stay focused on Jesus this Christmas.
One way to stay focused on Jesus this Christmas is to read Luke 2. Luke 2 details the description of Jesus’ birth into the world. This is a beautiful passage of Scripture that gives us all the information we need to know about the Lord’s birth.
By reading Luke 2, we will be more prone to staying focused on Jesus this Christmas because we are being reminded of what Christmas is all about.
Many times, we think Christmas is all about gifts, but the Bible tells us differently. The Bible tells us Christmas is the celebration of the Lord’s birth into the world.
Jesus came into the world to die for our sins. In order to do this, He had to be born into the world, grow up, live a sinless life, and die the death we deserved. Jesus did all of this because He loves us. Death did not hold a victory over Him.
Rather, He was resurrected and defeated death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). In the same way, when we place faith in Jesus, we are given victory over death. We will never have to be separated from God ever again. Instead, we will be with Him forever in heaven.
A second way to stay focused on Jesus this Christmas is by praying to Him. This can sound generic and easy, but if you are truly talking with Jesus throughout every season of life, Christmas will be no different. Continuing to pray every day will help you stay focused on Jesus.
Think about the last time you spent a considerable time away from Jesus. Maybe you were going through a difficult time, and you failed to turn to Him in prayer. More than likely, you were probably feeling at an all-time low.
This is one of the many reasons why you need to be active in prayer to the Lord. Not only will it help you stay focused on Him throughout the Christmas season, but it will also help you grow in your relationship with Him.
Our entire lives need to be lived in a way that we are constantly growing in our faith. If we are not going to God in prayer, we are conveying the message that we do not need God. Maybe this is not what you mean, but it is the message that is being sent.
Instead of neglecting time with the Lord in prayer, make it a daily habit to talk with Him in prayer. It is not burdensome nor is it stressful. In fact, it will probably help you in more ways than you can imagine.
By talking with Jesus in prayer throughout Christmas Day, you will be able to be more prone to being focused on Him. Talk to Him each day and tell Him your real problems.
You do not have to fake anything with God. He desires to know your true feelings and He wants to alleviate any pain.
Organizing a craft focused on the birth of Jesus is a third way to stay focused on Jesus this Christmas. Even if you are not a craft person, it might be fun to try to do a craft this Christmas.
A few ideas could be to draw a picture of the Nativity scene, to make candy cane necklaces out of beads, or to write a poem about Jesus.
Allow yourself to be creative in your craft, even if that means trying something that would not traditionally be seen as a craft. It can be any art form that you want as long as it keeps your mind focused on Jesus.
If you choose to draw a picture of the Nativity scene, make sure you have the proper supplies, such as crayons, markers, or colored pencils. If you are making candy cane necklaces, make sure you have red and white beads to put on pipe cleaners as well as ribbon to tie it around your neck.
You can even make these as ornaments if you don’t want to have a candy cane necklace. In the same way, you can write a poem as a way to stay focused on Jesus.
Even though a poem would not be classified as a craft, it is something artistic and something that will set your thoughts on the Lord.
A fourth way to stay focused on Jesus this Christmas is to turn away from worries and troubles. The Bible tells us to cast all of our worries and cares on Jesus because He loves us (1 Peter 5:7). The holiday season might get you down with all sorts of worries and concerns.
This alone can ruin your entire Christmas. As someone who is always thinking about what could go wrong, I understand if you are stressed over Christmas Day.
If this is true for you, do your best to focus on Jesus by turning away from these worries. Worries and troubles will only pull you away from Jesus.
As humans, we have a way of fixating on anything that is bothering us. Maybe you are having all of your family over for Christmas this year and you are stressed to tell them about your unwanted diagnosis.
Or maybe you are having to face this Christmas alone after the death of a loved one. Turn to God with these worries and troubles. He will be able to carry them for you and remind you of the love He has for you.
Turn away from these worries and choose to focus on Jesus. It might take some practice, but the more you focus on Jesus, the smaller your worries will be.
A fifth way to stay focused on Jesus this Christmas is to spend time with other believers. By spending time with other believers, you will be more prone to talk about Jesus. Especially during the Christmas season, there are numerous options to talk about Jesus.
It is a beautiful thing to be able to talk with loved ones about Jesus and to have their support in your times of struggle. Spend time with other believers this Christmas and they will be able to help you stay focused on Jesus when times are tough.
Maybe you can talk with your pastor or a mentor about your struggles with staying focused on Jesus during Christmas. Talking with a trusted Christian can help you to focus on Christ better as well as to know you are not alone in your struggles.
If they are honest, they will probably also say they have had struggles staying focused on Jesus during Christmas. They might be able to give you some helpful tips on how to stay focused on Him again too.
Never overlook the importance of consulting with other believers when you are having trouble focusing on the Lord.
For further reading:
5 Creative Ways to Prepare Your Heart for Christmas
5 Ways to Enjoy Christmas One-on-One with Christ
3 Ways to Keep Jesus at the Center of Your Christmas This Year
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/walterch