Joyful, We Are Joyful (but feel the pain of others)

Joyful, Joyful, I am joyful but not forgetting those who are hurting!

I am joyful, not only this time of the year, but each day. One, because of the hope I have in Christ, and 2) because of God’s blessings in my life of family and friends. But this year, as we get closer to Christmas Day and families start gathering for meals and exchanging of gifts, there is a heaviness on my heart as I think of the families of the children murdered last week.

My compassion runs deep for the parents and family members who without a doubt will not be able to move beyond their heartache and feel the joy of the season. I couldn’t. For me, I will enjoy my time with my family; I will hug them extra tight; I will celebrate the birth of Christ, but without a doubt, my heart will be heavy. Will Christmas be the same this year as always? No. These precious families will be on my mind and I refuse to put them aside in an attempt for me to have my normal Christmas while they are hurting. I will not be consumed with grief to the point that I take from the joy of my own family, but I will be praying for these families, hurting with them even though I don’t know them, and Christmas morning, they will be heavy on my mind.

As a believer, I honestly think that what Christ expects of us is to feel one another’s pain. Because of Christ, we have joy but that does not mean to ignore the pain of others.