The holiday season is here, and during these times many people begin to think of holiday gatherings with families and friends. Often, thoughts about family gatherings foster pain and hurt from the past. I encourage you to let go and let God when it comes to past offenses. Refuse to allow those memories to ruin your holiday season. Jesus is the reason for the season, so decide to focus on celebrating all that He has done. Be a sincere giver—not only giving from a loving heart but also forgiving anyone who has hurt you. Remember, forgiveness is a decision, not a feeling. You must set your will to forgive someone who has hurt you. When forgiving others, do not require them to apologize or make some type of amends beforehand. Your restoration and healing comes when you decide to walk in love whoever has hurt you. His or her response shouldn’t be your concern. Your business is to forgive, let go, let God, and love the individual.
Love is an action word and can be expressed in many ways. It is the most powerful seed you can sow into the life of another. In Luke 6, Jesus gives the law of love. Jesus said to love your enemies and do good to people who hate you. He says to pray for those who despitefully use you (Luke 6:27-28). Jesus wants us to understand the importance of demonstrating love to someone who does not show love in return.
When you release the love of God into the lives of others, God is released, because God is love. I call this the do-good seed, which is the action of love you extend to another person who has done wrong and doesn’t deserve your goodness. If there is someone in your life who irritates you, add his or her name to the top of your Christmas list this year! This is not a sign of weakness. It takes a powerful person to do right by someone who has done him wrong.
When it comes to sowing, God is not requiring anything of us that He hasn’t already done. When He saw mankind in a sinful state, He sowed the ultimate do-good seed—Jesus—as an expression of His love for mankind. Even though humanity deserved eternal damnation, God gave His most valuable and precious possession. As a result, He has reaped a harvest of millions of sons and daughters! Love is the key to experiencing true fulfillment, and should be the motivation behind every seed you sow.
Finally, as you celebrate Jesus this holiday season, avoid extending your lines of credit and over spending. Here are a few creative, meaningful gift ideas to share with family and friends:
These are just a few meaningful ways you can show your love this holiday season; however, the most important gift is love. Have a Merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous New Year!
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