How to Choose Peace in the Christmas Season

Something about the holidays create more busy, stressful elements to our lives. Whether it’s feeling like you should be sending cards, getting the gifts, thinking about the family gatherings, or preparing for travel, it all adds a sort of chaos that can bring scurry to your mind and heart.

But, dear wife, you have great power to create a peaceful atmosphere in your home this Christmas. I’m not talking about using the right candles or décor. I’m talking about serving with a heart of peace in your family this year. With God’s help, you can pass peace along to your loved ones by choosing it first yourself. 

Here are my best tips, based on my book Christmas Peace for Busy Moms.

Prioritize your time with God.

Nothing boosts your peace level more than your daily one-on-one time with God. Put him first in this busy season, and you’ll set the tone in your home for peace instead of chaos. You’ve probably heard the saying, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” This is especially true during the Christmas season. As you sit still before your Creator, Savior and Friend every day, you will cultivate peace and joy in your heart. He will take the edges off your words, refine your attitudes and empower you to bless your family with peace. Go ahead: set an appointment with God at the beginning of every day in December. He will bless you for it!

Enjoy Sabbath rest.

Set aside one day per week to worship the Lord, spend time in his Word, and slow your schedule. When my children were very young, we established Sundays as our family day. We finish our errands on Saturdays so that Sundays are free for church, naps, board games, and watching TV together. You’ll be surprised how powerful a Sabbath rest is for increasing your peace throughout the week. Plus, you will learn more about the Advent season by attending church in December. You may even want to do a family Advent devotion on your Sabbath.

Plan ahead.

The Christmas season is one of the busiest times of year. Whether you are a free spirit or planner at heart, you can create more peace by planning ahead. If you are traveling, get your itineraries ready as early as possible. Shipping gifts? Beat the rush by doing it two weeks earlier this year. Needing new Christmas outfits for photos or programs? You can shop well ahead of time to avoid last-minute runs to the store. Meal planning is also a great time-saver and peace-protector. Wherever you can plan ahead, do it now, because your peace level is on the line.

Meditate on God’s Word throughout the day.

When I was working outside the home, I meditated on God’s Word during my lunch breaks. In December, I always chose verses about peace, because that’s the virtue I needed most in that busy month. By letting God’s Word sink deep into your heart and mind, you will be able to choose peace even in the most stressful situations. A few verses that can boost your peace include Isaiah 26:3, John 16:33 and James 3:18.

Cover stressful situations in prayer.

Almost everyone I know deals with a stressful relationship at Christmastime. Since many of us must spend time with difficult relatives or in-laws in this season, it’s wise to pray over situations that have caused you stress in the past. Does your mother-in-law subtly criticize you? Pray that God will help you respond with grace and offer forgiveness. Is your uncle abrasively opinionated? Ask God to bear the fruits of gentleness and kindness in your interactions. By praying first, you can align your approach with God’s will. You’ll also serve as a godly example to everyone who is watching, including your children.

Wife Step: Pick one of these tips to apply this week for greater peace.

Sarah Geringer is a speaker, artist and author of Transforming Your Thought Life: Christian Meditation in Focus and three self-published books. She is on the devotional writing teams for Encouragement for Today, A Wife Like Me, Devotable, Hope-Full Living and Woman 2 Woman Ministries. When she’s not reading over 100 books per year, Sarah enjoys painting, baking, gardening and playing the flute. Her daily must-haves are hot tea, dark chocolate, and fresh flowers. She lives in her beloved home state of Missouri with her husband and three children. Sarah writes about finding peace in God’s Word at sarahgeringer.com.