“Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in
your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16).
A big part of the holidays is music, and it is one time of
year that Christ-centered music is played in the secular world.
This verse in Colossians connects singing to God with
thankfulness. This attitude can be hard to maintain when dealing with pain and
problems, but oh how we need it, especially during the holiday season.
It is hard to be thankful when we are frustrated over the
things we can’t do during the holidays or concerned about how we will get
through those that we must do, all the while trying to maintain a properly
joyful Christmas attitude! Being
thankful can be challenging if we focus on other holidays when we were in
better health or our circumstances were different.
Singing songs of worship has carried me through some of my
most painful times and has changed my attitude on difficult days. Praise takes our focus off of our pain and
reminds us of the loving and powerful God we serve and all the blessings that
knowing Him brings, both now and forever.
As we hear the well-loved Christmas songs of the season this
year, let us not simply sing the words from rote memory. Let us hear the words as they apply to our
current lives. We can sing with peace in
our hearts no matter what we are facing because the Prince of Peace is here
with us. We can sing with thanksgiving and joy because of the wonderful truth
that since Jesus came down to us on earth, we will one day go to be with Him in
heaven. And we can keep on singing when
the holidays are over in anticipation of that glorious pain-free day when the
object of our faith finally becomes sight.
Prayer: O God, help us give back this gift of music
to You in praise this Christmas season and beyond. And let the hope of the words we sing fill us
with peace and joy even in our suffering.
Amen.
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