As we close another year, all our hurts and pains and disappointments of the previous year can be "swallowed up in the joy of Christ" (Alma 31:38) And we are given the gift of looking forward to a new year full of hopes and dreams.
This Christmas season has been an interesting one for me. It has been a time of healing and recovery and it has been a time to spend with those I love. It has been a time of changing dreams and of new realizations. It also seems like there is so much to do, and never enough time to do all that I would like to do. However, I think that that's something that gives life meaning. To know that each day we set the course of our lives. How we chose to spend our time will cause ripple effects for years to come. But, most importantly, I think it helps me to realize that I cannot do it all on my own. I need help, guidance, and direction to overcome the storms in my own life, and to help others through theirs. Which is why this Christmas season is so important. It is a reminder that we are not alone. That there is hope and healing available to each and every one of us.
For me it is little wonder that several of the signs of Christ's birth are associated with light, for He truly is the "light and life of the world." (3 Nephi 11:11) And not only is that applicable on a general level, but also on a very personal one as well. As the years have gone by and I have been faced with life's challenges and difficulties and I can no longer see what lies ahead, I have come to see the Savior as the life of my world. I have come to know that He cares about me personally and knows exactly what I am going through, and will lead me safely through all my trials and difficulties. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf once stated:
"It is part of our condition as mortal beings to sometimes feel as though we are surrounded by darkness... But even though we may feel lost in the midst of our current circumstances, God promises the hope of His light—He promises to illuminate the way before us and show us the way out of darkness” (The Hope of God's Light, May 2013)
That quote to me reflects the hope of the Christmas season. That we will always have the Savior to light the way before us. Even on our darkest days, that we can still turn heavenward and find healing and hope. We can be comforted by the reassurance of His love and that "He is not dead, nor doth He sleep." (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day) Rather the Savior is very involved in our lives and wants the best for each of us.
That is another gift of the Christmas season, that as we close another year, all our hurts and pains and disappointments of the previous year can be "swallowed up in the joy of Christ" (Alma 31:38) And we are given the gift of looking forward to a new year full of hopes and dreams. Untold blessings and wonders lay ahead because "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son" (John 3:16)
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