The Dark Days of Christmas: Anxious

Intro

We are continuing our series called the Dark Days of Christmas. Though for most of us, Christmas is a time of excitement and joy, there are many that actually dread this time of year because of the overwhelming weight and pressures that come with it.

Last week we looked at loneliness, and how this time of family and gathering together can be the loneliest time for some because they don’t have family. There has been some separation from the people they need most and so they are isolated and feeling lonely. One of the greatest gifts we could give someone who is feeling lonely is our time. Whether a phone call, a coffee, a letter. Whatever way you can send some excouragement or simply connect can go a long way.

Out of curiousity, who actually connected with someone that they hadn’t talked to or that God put on their heart to connect with? Anyone?

This week, as we continue the Christmas story, we switch focus from Mary and look to Joseph for the next darkness that people face this time of year.

To kick us off, I have a mildly funny story? Funny now? Anyways, when I was young, I remember mom and dad taking my brother and I to Drumheller to the dinosaur museum. I think we were on our way to see family somewhere. Anyways, the museum was packed out and we were wondering through big crowds of people. At least it felt like big crowds. It was one of the only memories I have of looking up to people.

Without my knowing, I had actually got separated from my parents in the crowd. When I realized it, I panicked and starting looking for some signs of familiarity. Well, I found someone wearing a coat much like my mom’s and starting following them. I hadn’t followed for very long when my dad’s hand grabbed me by the shoulder and course corrected me.

Question #1: Do you have a similar story of fear and anxiety?

I’m sure we have all experienced something similar to that, whether we remember it or not. Life is full of these moments where something goes wrong or not accordingly to plan and we are faced with an unknown outcome.

In fact, this is actually the definition of anxiety:

Anxiety - a vague unpleasant emotion akin to worry that is experienced in antcipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune.

with this definition in mind, let’s dive back into Luke and see we can spot the moment Joseph may be experiencing some anxiety

Luke 2:1–7 ESV

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

now, the traditional interpretation of the story is that Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem that night of Jesus’ birth and the inn is full, so they have to settle for the stable and Jesus being laid in a manger. Under this pretense, yes, we can all understand the idea of Joseph having some anxiety.

I mean, Michelle and I have had two kids, and so far everything has pretty much gone according to plan. We were in the hospital, there was a bed for the baby to come, and there is still anxiety about the whole situation. A human being is coming out of my wife, I have every right to experience some anxiety. And we have to go through it all over again in February. I’m excited for the part where the baby is here, I’m less excited about the inbetween time

So to be in Joseph’s shoes with the traditional understanding, anxiety through the roof.

However, there are few factors that we could consider with this story. This is not to say that the traditional understanding is wrong, but there may be some other scenarios

Scenario one: Joseph and Mary had actually been in Bethlehem for a while. If you take into consideration the situation Mary finds herself, this has some credence. Remember, Mary is having a child that is not Joseph’s, and even though Joseph was visited by the angel and understands the situation, the rest of the community didn’t get that visit, and they would be more and more uncomfortable with the situation. So removing Mary from Nazareth may have actually saved Mary and Joseph some uncomfortable living situations

If this is the case, then there is a good chance that Joseph would have returned to the family home. The home would have been packed with people, which is fine until it is time for the baby to be born. Mary and Joseph would have needed some extra space, and the house simply would not have had the space to accomodate them

Add to this that the Greek word here for inn actually would be more acurately translated as guest room. So the family home would have been packed with people and there was no room in the guest room because all the fold out furniture was taken.

In fact, there is a good chance Joseph would not have taken Mary to an actual inn. An inn in those days had a reputation for being uncomfortable, a place where you got robbed, because the worst of people stayed there. It would have been the place the Good Samaritan took the victim he saved. The word for that inn literally translates all received. No one is turned away.

The other little detail to be considered is that the manger wasn’t necessarily in a cave, like we traditionally interpret it. It was not uncommon in those days that the animals were actually kept in the house, possibly on the lower level of the home. So even though Mary and Joseph may not have been in the guest room, they may have still been near family, allbeit hanging out with the animals downstairs instead of with the family upstairs.

All of that to say, it doesn’t change the fact that Joseph would have been experiencing immense amounts of anxiety, desperately trying to figure out where his betrothed was going to have this baby.

Why is he anxious? Because there is a high probability that something is going to go wrong and his soon to be wife or the child could face some complications. Because there is a baby coming and there is no where to put him. There is some potential misfortune awaiting.

This is not uncommon in today’s day. The idea of meeting with family can cause huge amounts of anxiety in people because the in-laws could say anything. Families can be critical of life choices, of presents bought. Are we even going to get to be with family this year? Am I going to get the Christmas bonus because if I don’t, I don’t know how I’m going to make ends meet. People stretch themselves so thin that if anything goes wrong with the house or car or anything, there is no way to fix those things without ending up in an impossible situation.

Anxiety is at its highest when the potential for things to go wrong increases. Or when we are left to our thoughts to imagine some misfortune that may otherwise not be there. The more ill defined the misfortune, the greater potential for anxiety.

Question #2: What makes you most anxious about the Christmas season?

I think we all experience some varying degree of anxiety at Christmas. For some it is passing, and others it can be crippling. And it’s not just at Christmas. There are people who deal with debilitating anxiety year round.

Now before I get into what I’ve come up with as a solution, remember I am not a psychologist. If you are dealing with severe anxiety, or know someone who is, it not a sign of weakness to ask for help. And it is not a lack of faith if you have to take something to help with it. I’m sure we’ve all taken Tylenol to help with body pain. So why wouldn’t we take something to correct something that is wrong in our brain? I’m not saying you should rush to that either, but don’t see seeking help as a lack of faith or a sign of weakness. I know a few very spiritual pastors who take meds to help with anxiety.

With that said, here are some thoughts from scripture to help you if you are struggling with anxiety. Or if you know someone or see someone struggling, here are some scriptures you can offer to them to help them through it.

Psalm 94:19 ESV

When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:6–7 CSB

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.

if anxiety is an emotional response in anticipation of some misfortune, then run to the one who only has good things in store for you. Run to the one who is in complete control, and cast your worries and concerns on him.

put your faith in the fact that God is going to take care of you, instead of putting your faith in people or the world to make a mess of things.

Jesus said I have come to give my people life and life abundant. Believe that!! Believe that Jesus is able to do good things in the midst of the chaos.

We need to get to point in life where Jesus’ voice is the loudest voice in our ears. This why we encourage memorizing scripture. This is why we need to spend more time in worship and less time in worry. God has a good plan for you

Maybe the reason for your anxiety is the sin of your past that you’ve never confessed or dealt with. Jesus wants to take that all away from you today. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, Jesus is ready to forgive you and wipe the slate clean. He loves you with an incomprehensible love, and wants to give you a new life, in relationship with him. Don’t hold back. Allow the Saviour of the world to become the savior of your life today.

which brings me to my second point

Matthew 6:25–34 ESV

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

the Luke passage adds, who of you can change the color of your hair by worrying?

This is a summary of my first point, but brings up the second one as well. We get anxious about things that are going to happen tomorrow or next week, and the pessimist or the realist gets anxious thinking about all the things that can go wrong.

Jesus says to stop worrying about tomorrow, and focus on today. Today has more then enough going on that you don’t need to get worked up about tomorrow to. In fact, all we can do is make the most of today so that tomorrow works out a little bit better.

You can control very little in life, other then what is happening right now. So make the most of the here and now. Do not let moments escape you, do not kill time, but find ways to maximize the moment, and hopefully the worries will fade away.

To close, if you know someone who is struggling with anxiety, I think Solomon has a good word for us.

Proverbs 12:25 ESV

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

we get anxious because we imagine or assume that things are going to go wrong. The power of life and death are in the tongue, so let us be people who speak life into people. Let us, as representatives of Christ, share a good word with those who need it most. In fact, share a good word with everyone you come in contact with because you never know what someone is going through in the background

I remember when I was the youth pastor here and I would have my moments of worry or depression. Someone would say something in jest, and 9 times out of 10, I would laugh, but there seemed to be the one time I wouldn’t and it would hurt and cause me to fall deeper into whatever I was feeling at that time.

Let us be sources of constant and unrelenting encouragement to our families, our friends, our coworkers, because we have the source of all good things living within us.

Question #3: How can you be a source of encouragement in someone’s life this week?

Let’s pray.