Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

The fact that Thanksgiving comes during the month preceding our celebration of the birth of Christ reminds me of the importance of our gratitude for our Savior. Often, we focus our attention on what we want from our Lord, and then we approach Him with a laundry list of wants and needs, perhaps only afterwards remembering to thank God for being who He is.

We are instructed to model our prayers after the one that Jesus gave us, the one we call The Lord’s Prayer. In it, the first thing Jesus says is “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” If our Savior praises our Father first, so should we.

During this month, there are many reasons to be in conflict: over-commitment, financial over-extension, unfulfilled expectations, confusion, traffic jams…the list goes on.

Here are a few ways to ease the stress of the season so we can be called to peace.

1. Just say no. Try not to schedule more than one event per day. However, when you must, try to also schedule time for a nap or at least to put up your feet.
2. Pay by cash, check or debit card rather than credit card. This will help keep spending to a reasonable level. Be sure to put aside God’s portion before starting to shop. This will help prevent using His portion to finance overspending.
3. Give without expectation of receiving. What you choose to give you will not resent if kept within reasonable limits and if given freely. It can, however, be uncomfortable for the receiver who is taken by surprise. It is perfectly acceptable to say to the receiver, “Let’s make a time for me to drop by. I have a little something I want you to have. It reminded me of you the moment I saw it.”
4. Make room for your quiet time with the Lord. This is always important and never more so than at this time of year.
5. Take time to plan. List and order your responsibilities for the day. Lay out a route in your mind using back streets where possible. This will help avoid excessive traffic and frenzied drivers.

Let us remember to praise God first and foremost, offering our hearts and allegiance to the One who is love and His Son who is love personified. If we approach our world as we do our God, we will ultimately live in peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Dear God, We love you so much and thank you for always inviting us to your throne. We praise you for the seasons of celebration at this time of year. Help us to keep things in perspective and to keep our priorities in order. Let us keep our eyes on you so that we may resist the many temptations of the enemy. Bless us with the peace that passes understanding and we will give you the glory. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.