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As we wrap up another year, I have a question for you: how often did you spend time thinking about all that happened in 2021? I confess that in my busyness, I rarely rested and reflected on the state of my life. I haven’t stopped to think: what matters, where is my focus? Am I spending my time on meaningful things or investing in people the way I should?

Perhaps this final week of the year is a good time for this sort of reflection. Turn off Netflix, get quiet and spend a few moments thinking about what has transpired in your life and the life of friends and family.

The pundits are busy with their analysis of the year. They focus ons extrinsic goals pursued: more money, better job, real estate… things that give us praise and reward but don’t necessarily make us happier nor bring greater meaning to our life. Actually, the constant pursuit of those rewards can be linked to depression, anxiety and mental illness. So a different type of pursuit is needed–a pursuit of things meaningful and eternal.

The question to ponder as the new year is upon us is, “What really matters?” And, “Where should my focus be as I begin 2022?”

In the end, two things really matter.

The people in our lives. There is no substitute for those who do life with you day in and day out. Don’t take them for granted. Take the time to tell them how much they mean to you. Family, good friends…those you can depend on. Those who will be with you through the ups and downs of life. If there are problems in those relationships, work to reconcile. Agree to disagree but stay connected. Talk through conflict and work to live peacefully with others. Develop strong friendships and networks for much needed support, laughter and fun.

Our spiritual life. There is such an absence of spiritual references in media that one would think no one even has a spiritual life. Yet, this part of our lives is the most important. Therefore, we need to attend to it. COVID or not, we have to find ways to stay spiritually strong. This means making time for Bible reading, prayer, worship and service to others. This is the one thing that keeps us centered and grounded no matter what happens around us. Sadly, it is the one thing left out of most story lines, news events, movies and TV shows. Yet faith is what keeps us hopeful and resilient. A personal relationship with Jesus brings strength and conquers fear and anxiety. During uncertain times, we need a Rock.

To this point, a friend suddenly lost her husband a week ago. What mattered to her during this sorrowful time? The people who supported and comforted her and her strong Christian faith. Those two things got her through the loss and will continue to sustain her in the weeks to come. Without them, she would feel lost and depressed. But because of friends, family and faith, she can face tomorrow with hope and purpose.

So as you count down the days until the New Year, take a few moments to reflect on your life. Do you need to work on your relationships and/or your spiritual life? Is it time to strengthen one or both of these areas? Make a list of steps to think of a few action points. Begin the new year strong, focusing on things that matter.

As we enter this Christmas week, some of us may not feel “merry” as the song directs us to be. However, the merriment of “Mary” provides a model of how to achieve this goal.

Can you imagine what a young girl might have felt and thought when an angel appeared to her and told her she had found favor with God, would conceive of the Holy Spirit and bear the Son of God? The questions that must have sped through her mind. How can this be? Why me? How will this actually happen? Will anyone believe this story?

Interestingly, Scripture doesn’t record a series of questions that Mary had to understand in order to cooperate with God. Instead, she says, ” Let is be according to your Word.” Mary was calm, received a Word, faithfully replied, trusted God and then worshipped. Do we do the same when we face the unknown?

Again, this year, there are so many questions. So many unknowns. When will the pandemic end? Now, what happens with Omicron? Will people take the vaccines? How will my life be affected by inflation? What will happen next? Will I financially survive and have a job? Is our response to these uncertainties like Mary’s? Do we believe what God has told us in His Word and trust him for today and tomorrow? And regardless of what we do not understand, do we worship Him?

Mary is know for many things. She is perhaps the most unique person in history. No one else in the world conceived of the Spirit and gave birth to the Son of God. Yet, when this life changing event was announced, she accepted it with humility and trust. She didn’t know how any of it would turn out. In fact, we might retitle the famous song, Mary Did You Know? To Mary, You Didn’t Know Much! Still, she believed and trusted. What an incredible sign of faith. I am challenged by her response to great uncertainty.

This Christmas, let’s be more like Mary. Let’s face the many questions we don’t have answers to like she did-with calm, trust and praise. And just like Mary, the psalmist records a similar type of simple faith in Psalm 131. After years of turmoil and inner naggings, David finally experiences peace. He no longer has to have answers to things and realizes He may never understand the complexities of life. He has quieted his heart and has stopped trying to figure everything out. In verse 2, he tells us he has calmed and quieted his soul. Why” Because his hope is in the Lord, not his might and power as king.

This Christmas, our future is unknown. There is much we don’t understand. Yet God sits on the throne and has it all under His control. Our job is to trust Him. Instead of worrying about all our unanswered questions,  return to the faith of Mary. She did pondered many things in her heart, but trusted God to take care of her. Her childlike faith is a model for us during troubled times. Mary reminds us of this.

As we face another year of a pandemic Christmas, rest in His care, knowing He holds tomorrow. God has all the answers. Humble yourself to trust Him. Do not depend on your own understanding. When the angel appeared to Mary, she took a leap of faith with all of its uncertainties. Then, in the quiet of a silent night, all was calm, all was bright. The sent One had come! The journey of uncertainty began. Mary would need to continue to trust and believe. And because she did, our Savior was born! What incredible things does God have in store for you?

I love this time of year. My mom’s Hummel Nativity scene greets you when you walk in the door. The house is lit up with lights, candles glow in the evenings, and the fireplace warms the house as we enjoy the beauty of the tree. All this brings such joy.

But not everyone is feeling joy. For many, it is not the most wonderful time of the year. Maybe you have difficult family issues, an impending divorce, addiction, mental illness or are grieving the loss of a loved one. Instead of joy, you are filled with stress, anxiety and even depression.

Consider the story of Elizabeth

As I consider that nativity scene that greets me at the front door, I imagine the biblical Elizabeth had moments of disappointment and even heartache. Rather than joy, she lived with the disappointment of not bearing a child. Just think how those years of infertility must have wore on her. She was married to the Priest, Zechariah, who was described as righteous and blameless. She came from a rich spiritual linage as the daughter of Aaron from the House of Levi. Yet, God did not bless Elizabeth with a child for years. As the years moved on, Elizabeth passed the child-bearing stage and probably resigned herself to the disappointment of being childless in a culture that values women for their child-bearing role. Imagine what she had to endure-the whispers behind her back, feeling like an outsider and more.

However, in Luke 1, Elizabeth’s life changed. Zechariah was told by the angel, Gabriel, that his wife Elizabeth would have a child. This proclamation was surprising not only because Elizabeth and Zechariah were infertile, but because they had prayed for so long with no result.

Most of us are can relate to barren places in our lives. We have experienced disappointment in a job, relationship, dream or health. Whether that disappointment is over a physical infertility or some other type of barren place, disappointment can easily settle in. We can give up on our dreams and feel that time has passed us by. Yet, in the biblical account of Elizabeth and Zechariah, against all odds, Elizabeth conceived and her desire was granted. As we pick apart this passage, several points are made:

1) Disappointment happens to good people. Elizabeth and her husband were “good people.” The human side of us wonders, “I am doing everything right, why can’t I be blessed in the ways I see others blessed?” What appears to be unanswered prayer in Elizabeth’s story is not a judgment on her as a person. She was not in sin or unfaithful to God.

2) Don’t believe that just because you are getting older, life is passing you by and your dreams won’t be fulfilled.Our later years can be times of great fulfillment. We don’t always understand the timing of God, but His timing is always best. And we don’t always know what God is protecting us from when we think things should happen according to our time table. Also, just because our culture favors the young, God does not. Mary, the mother of Jesus was young and Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist was old. Yet, both were a part of God’s plan of redemption.

3) Like Zechariah, we must continue to pray and contend for the goodness of God. In Luke 1: 13, the angel tells Zechariah, “Your prayer has been heard.” Never doubt: God hears our prayers. Don’t stop or give in to depression or disappointment. Don’t abandon hope even in the face of what seems impossible. God sees and notices us even when we don’t feel it.

4) Miracles happen. John’s birth was a miracle. The joy of that baby must have been incredible. Patience paid off. The couple remained faithful to God’s calling no matter what. Their unwavering faith must have been such a witness to others.

5) Great joy comes from God. Joy is not found in circumstances or things. Yes, we see glimpses of joy through a sunset or the birth of a baby. But joy comes from the person of Jesus Christ. It is a joy unspeakable and full of glory according to Scripture. Who doesn’t want that type of joy?

So, if you are feeing barren this Christmas or living with disappointment, one message of the Christmas story is that God wants to do something miraculous in your life. He delights in showing you great favor. He wants to bring you great joy.

No matter what we face this holiday season, Jesus is our hope. Our hope for a better day, for new life, and for reuniting with loved ones. We know a day is coming when there will be no more tears or disease. He is our joy! Joy to the world. Our Lord has come!