DEALING WITH THE CHRISTMAS BLUES

According to many folks, the holiday season should be the most joyous time of year. But for those who came from broken families or who lost a loved one at this time of year, all the frivolity sets their teeth on edge. "Don't worry - be happy," is no help at all. Neither are the other platitudes people spout off whenever they encounter a wounded individual.

Therefore, some churches, such as South Main Baptist in Houston, Texas, recognize that this time of year is painful for an increasing number of people. This is a welcome change, in my opinion, because not everybody comes from a happy and intact family. With divorce increasing and all the turmoil it causes, children are the ones to suffer most. Saying useless things like "cheer up" just doesn't help.

What many broken people need is what June Hunt from Hope for the Heart teaches. The reason so many folks feel such a tremendous burden is because they're hanging on to their hurts. If they could find somebody who would take them away and recognize that God is the one who repays wickedness, those folks would eventually feel much better. When a person becomes a believer in Christ, the hurts of the past can be handed over to Jesus to bear. After all, God is in a much better position to perfectly punish wrongdoers and to heal wounded hearts.

I'm living proof that this works. Over the years, I've been able to deal with the injustices in my past by handing them, the pain I felt, and my assumed right to prosecute them to the Lord. I still have some residual pain but nothing compared to what I once suffered. I'm grateful to June Hunt for her marvelous biblical counsel.

I wrote extensively about how this gracious lady helped me in my newly-published memoir, How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity. Please check it out at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Virtual Bookworm.