by Rev. Douglas Brauner

Finding life in Christ in stressful times.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 New Living Translation

I’ve written blogs about a flower growing where it’s not supposed to grow, and about a pine tree sprouting out of a rocky crevice. I wrote another devotion about a large tree leaning against a rock, so you’d think that there’s no reason for another blog about life in difficult circumstances.

Mt. Cutler, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Yet I believe that we still need encouragement when life is difficult.

We’re entering into a stressful time of year. I know that many of us love December for all the Christmas decorations, movies, and cookies, but there also comes a degree of stress that isn’t felt during other cycles of the year. There are concerns, time crunches, and crowds. There are expectations that we set for ourselves and others placed on our shoulders by people we love.

Although the anticipation of Christmas brings joy it also fosters pain, so much pain that we might feel like we’re struggling to find life in rocky soil.

Many of these expectations result from living in a broken, sinful, world. It often seems that this world consumes and overwhelms us. Yet Christ reminds us that he is more powerful than the expectations we face. Even in the chaos of Christmas there is peace.

Jesus has overcome the world.

This baby who is born for us, is he who bore the pain and sorrow of our day-to-day existence. He gives us life when it seems that we are growing in nutrient-depleted soil. He cares for you. He will not abandon you.

He is the one who gives you life.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado