When you’re too busy to be kind, you’re too busy. As the song says, “’tis the season to be jolly”, but it can also be said: “’tis the season to be busy” (too busy) because the Christmas Holidays can be a time of monumental busyness. How sad that we run toward the “Silent Night” of celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus at such breakneck speed so as to cause such tension in our homes. So what can we do that will help us to accomplish what needs to be done and still be kind to one another as husband and wife and family?

• First: COMMIT YOUR DAY TO THE LORD ASKING HIM FOR HIS GUIDANCE. Don’t forget to start your day TOGETHER as husband and wife on your knees praying with and for each other. (And don’t forget to ask your spouse what you can be praying for them throughout the day.) Ask the Lord for His wisdom, showing you what really needs to be done each day and what’s optional. Keep in mind the verses in Matthew 11:28-29 which says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Too often we take on more than we really need to. What we think as necessary things to do, may really be optional from the Lord’s standpoint, or they may be necessary, but they don’t need to be tended to as urgently as we may think they do.

When we’ve taken the time to be quiet before the Lord together as a couple and have committed our “schedules” to Him, it’s been amazing to see how He directs us individually throughout the day. And as we come back together in the evening, we find we’re much kinder to each other because of the Lord’s guidance. He gives us the strength for what needs to be done and the wisdom to discern what’s important to do right away and also to know what isn’t.

• Second: LISTEN FOR THE LORD’S DIRECTING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. We sometimes forget the Lord is “gentle and humble in heart.” He often directs us in “a still small voice” — a whisper, which makes it necessary to be continually attentive for His direction. The Lord is faithful to His word when He tells us in the Bible (in the book of James, Chapter One) that for those who ask God will give wisdom “generously.”

• And third: DO WHAT THE LORD GUIDES YOU TO DO. I (Cindy) have found myself griping at different times about “all that needs to be done.” I’m so sure that because I’m doing things that will honor Christ, (”the reason for the season”), He must want me to do them. We can be so easily deceived with that type of reasoning.

Think about it, why would He tell us that His burden is light and His yoke is easy and then give us too much to do so we’re worn to a frazzle, ready to argue with our spouse at every turn? Just because we have so many choices in how to honor the birth of Christ, it doesn’t mean we have to do them all. We need to make the “best” choices (as Martha was told by Jesus in Luke 10:38-42).

If we do only that which the Lord really would have us do, we’ll find ourselves enjoying and honoring not only the Christ of Christmas, but also our spouse and our family and friends. What better gift to give the Lord Jesus this Christmas (and everyday of the year) than to honor His word?

“In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:15-16)

Please know that we count it a privilege to work on our marriages together with you so that our lives will be a living testimony to the love of God. Our love and prayers are with you.

Sincerely,
Steve and Cindy Wright

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