The world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller – Proverbs 11:24 b (MSG)

It’s so easy in the Christmas season to get so excited about presents. You probably made a list of all the stuff you wanted from your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

And you’re getting really excited to see how much of those things you’re going to get.

Getting is certainly a fun part of Christmas, and there’s nothing wrong with receiving gifts from others. However, sometimes we let all the getting stuff consume us.

So this Christmas season, check your heart. Yes, it’s great to get things, but what about giving?

Is there someone you could give to? Maybe you don’t have tons of money, but could you give your mom a night off from doing the dishes? Give your brother the choice of what to watch on TV at night?

Today’s Challenge: Practice Giving

Ask God for help to find creative ways you can give to others this Christmas. Think of how you could go out of your way to make Christmas special for others too.

As you practice giving, it will help you be happier and more thankful for what you have. So decide to be a giver this Christmas.

Read: 3 Reasons to Practice Giving This Christmas

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. – John 14:27 (NLT)

Things in the world right now seem a little crazy. Most of us feel anything but peace this Christmas season. But that’s really why we need Jesus.

Because in the middle of chaos Jesus came into the world. Jesus brings peace to your situation. So regardless of what you’re facing, you can be at peace.

The peace you have isn’t because things aren’t tough or you’re not facing something difficult. Rather it’s just peace and rest in the middle of difficulty, knowing that God loves you and will always come through for you.

Today’s Truth: Jesus brings peace.

So today, if you’ve let your heart become troubled, remind yourself that Jesus came to bring peace. Walk in the peace He provided for you.

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. – John 1:4 (NIV)

Jesus came to the earth and did so many great things for us. It can hard sometimes to really take time to appreciate them. So today, we’re going to look at one of the things Jesus brought to us which is life.

Today’s Truth: Jesus brings life.

Jesus gave us life. And not just any old life, but He came to give us abundant life. A good life. Not a life free from problems, but a life full of hope and joy in Him.

When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! – Matthew 2:10 (NLT)

Can you remember when you were a little kid? The excitement of all those presents under your Christmas tree. I can recall scoping out the presents with my name on them and then trying to figure out what it was that was inside each one.

Just like when you were a little kid, Christmas is a time of joy. Even when Jesus was a child, He was bringing joy to others. The wisemen were joyful when they saw the star in the sky. They knew that it meant that the messiah was here.

Today’s Truth: Jesus brings joy.

Jesus came to the world to bring us joy. His joy keeps us going when things are tough. From his birth until now, Jesus continually brings us joy. When we know Jesus we have joy. Not because everything is perfect, but because we know Him.

Knowing Jesus is the greatest joy there is. So even if this has been a really hard year for you, know that Jesus came so that you can have joy in the middle of difficult times.

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned

Romans 5:11-12 (ESV)

This year Christmas probably feels weird. Maybe due to COVID, you won’t be getting together with your extended family for the first time in years. The thought of that is making you sad. You’re upset that you won’t see family and exchange gifts. It makes Christmas feel, not at all like Christmas.

It’s hard in times like these to stay encouraged. That’s where Jesus comes in. Jesus came to this dark world to bring hope. The message of Christmas is hope.

Today’s Truth: Jesus brings us hope.

Even in tough times like what we’ve experienced this year, Jesus came to bring hope. We have hope that we’re loved. Jesus shows us that we’re forgiven and made right with God.

Jesus brought us hope that we weren’t stuck in our sin, apart from God. We can rejoice and have hope in Jesus that we have been reconciled to God.

Even if Christmas doesn’t seem right this year, remember that you have hope. Jesus came to bring hope to our dark world. Today you can be encouraged that Jesus came to make you right with God!

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. – Psalm 91:1 (NLT)

When’s the last time you really got a good night of sleep? How did that feel? Did you love that you were able to wake up the next day and feel refreshed and ready to go?

That feeling is how God wants our lives to be in Him. He wants us to be rested. He doesn’t want the concerns and cares of this world keeping us up at night.

Today’s Truth: Rest, God Didn’t Leave Me Without Hope

It’s true, you might not have the answers or even know how your situation will be resolved, but God never leaves you without help or hope. God wants to be where you run when things get tough.

If you get to know God, you’ll realize that you can trust Him. He will be your shelter when things get hard. He will lead and guide you through difficulty. You don’t have to do anything but trust Him and rest in His prescence.

God always is looking out for you!

It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones. – Psalm 127:2 (NLT)

Do you sometimes have a hard time going to sleep at night? Maybe the stress of the day keeps you awake. Worry about that huge History test racks your brain with fear.

The truth is, God doesn’t want you troubled about tomorrow or fearful for today. God’s best for you is to be at rest.

So how do you do that? How do you rest when so many things are concerning in our world right now?

One of the best ways to rest is to realize that it’s not all on you. God doesn’t expect you to do it all in your own strength, worried about what you’re going to eat or how you’re going to handle something. Instead, He wants to provide you peace and rest. He wants to help you through the things that upset you.

Today’s Truth: I can Rest, my situation isn’t bigger than God.

God’s best for your life and His desire is that you live in a place of rest. You can rest knowing that God has provided you with everything you need. You rest knowing that the situations you face aren’t bigger than God.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. – Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

Right now, it’s easy to feel weary. 2020 has been a really hard year for most of us. So many strange things have happened, and with a worldwide pandemic, it’s been really hard to stay encouraged.

Do you feel burdened and weary from this year? If so, go to Jesus. Tell Him how you feel. Ask Him for help and encouragement.

Today’s Truth: Rest Jesus is There to Lift the Heavy Stuff

So many times we try to lift the heavy stuff of life on our own. We try to make it without God’s help or guidance. Jesus is saying come to Him. Let Him help carry those things that feel heavy in your life.

If you’ll let Jesus lift those heavy things in your life, you’ll really be able to enjoy the rest that’s found in Jesus. You can go through a pandemic with a smile on your face. Why? Because you are at rest. You know that no matter what happens, Jesus will help you through it and you’ll come out on the other side better than you were before.

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. – Psalm 37:7 (NLT)

It’s easy to get worked up about little things. I remember a time when I felt like some other youth in my youth group were being treated unfairly and it really bothered me. I wanted to take action and see results.

Often, it’s easy to want to do, do, do. We want to do something to make the results we want. And it feels better and easier to do something rather than wait for God to take care of it for you.

However, there is wisdom in practicing rest. Instead of getting worked up about things, rest. Relax. Trust God that He is always working for you. He wants good things for you.

Today’s Truth: Rest. God is working on your behalf.

Today’s Bible verse is a great reminder of this. We should be at rest, seeking God’s presence and waiting patiently.

So if you’ve been guilty of getting worked up or upset, choose today to rest. Know that God loves you, He’s always fighting for you, and you can simply rest and enjoy His presence in your life today.

They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war, plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’ – 2 Chronicles 20:9 (NLT)

In today’s Bible verse, we see Jehoshaphat praying and reminding himself of God’s great desire to rescue His people.

It’s good to know that in times when it feels like everything is against you, you can cry out to God. You can let God know how you feel. God wants to hear from you.

The good news is that not only does God want to hear from you, but He also wants to save you too. He wants to provide you help in trouble.

There are so many things you might be facing right now. Maybe you’re faced with lockdowns and virtual schooling. Perhaps things aren’t good at home. Any number of things like these can make you weary.

However, the good news is that in the middle of all of this, you can cry out to God. God wants to hear you and help you. So even if you’re facing something big, know this: God cares. He wants to help you, all you have to do is ask Him.

Feeling discouraged and want more devotions like these? Here is a list of all of our devotions from this week.

• Day 1 – I’m scared, but I’m Not Alone
• Day 2 – Fear Doesn’t Control My Life
• Day 3 – Say No To Fear and Yes to Seeking God
• Day 4 – Defeat Discouragement By Remind Yourself of What God Has Done
• Day 5 – God Wants to Help – Don’t Forget to Call On Him In Trouble