Coping with Hope
The holidays are hard. There's no way to separate the traditions from the memories we have as we grieve through the holidays without our loved one. Christmas puts a magnifying glass on the past and now the present.
Some people choose to continue with the same traditions. Some of us choose to step away for a season, while others discover different ways to celebrate. We’re all on a journey to cope with hope during this tender time.
What does that look like? Coping with hope offers a different dimension as we move forward. In slowing down to reflect on the Christmas story, I've found glimpses of hope in how Mary and Joseph lived out a different story without knowing the outcome. Their experience did not match their expectations. We can all relate.
Mary’s response to the angel when she was chosen to give birth to Jesus reveals her gentle heart of acceptance. She may have had questions, but her hope diminished the questions.
Hope buoys us when we don’t have all the answers. Hope keeps us going when we don’t see the path ahead. Hope steadies our steps. Hope gives us an eternal perspective beyond our circumstances. Hope comforts us as we remember and reflect.
The first Christmas was messy, with unmet expectations. It wasn’t all wrapped up with a pretty bow. However, the gift of hope was wrapped up in a cradle in a manger for us to receive.
We can hope as “the weary world rejoices.”
