Einige Gründe, warum wir dieses Weihnachten frohlocken und glücklich sein können.

Life can be hard in very real and different ways. While our problems may be many and varied, there is one main solution: Jesus. And Jesus—no one and nothing else—is at the heart of Christmas. 

Unfortunately, we’re so easily absorbed, especially at Christmastime, with “getting what’s ours” (or with finding unneeded gifts for our friends and family who already have so much) that we miss what brings the real happiness and joy—giving God what’s His.

Our thankfulness glorifies God and makes Him happy: “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me” (Psalm 50:23). But God isn’t the only one affected when we give thanks.

The problem with idols is not that they’re intrinsically wrong. God created wood, stone, and gold, which can be fashioned into heathen idols. Likewise, He created family, friendships, work, music, art, sex, food, drink, and all that we rightly value. But all of these can still become idols—God-substitutes.

To me, there are not many joys comparable to that of leading someone to Christ. It’s thrilling and exhilarating.  May we all continually ask the Lord to give us opportunities to share His “good news of great happiness” (Luke 2:10).

Something would be terribly wrong if we weren’t grieving for this world and those who suffer. But is it okay to be happy when we live in a world of hurt? And beyond that, is it actually God’s calling? Those questions motivated me to go deeper into Scripture and to see what people through the ages have said about happiness, especially the Puritans. 

Suppose you and a friend entered a store and your friend was awarded $100,000 for being the store’s 100,000th customer. Would you be hounded by the wish that it had been you instead? Would you expect your friend to split it with you since you held the door open and otherwise would have won? Or would you have simply rejoiced for her?

My son-in-law Dan Stump, married to my youngest daughter Angela, recently preached a great sermon on this passage in Jeremiah 2. I was there when he preached it and went back to listen to it again because it really spoke to me.