Prioritize Heaven, Not Self, This Holiday Season

The holidays are an important time to reflect on both the blessings and the commands of God.

The Bible says everything you have you were blessed with, both to enjoy and to use to bless the world around you. But sometimes we forget this. 

It is easy to get caught up in the craziness of the season and lose focus on the purpose God has called you to. And it can be easy to become distracted with material things.

Focusing on Heaven

In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus encourages us to consider where we place what is most important to us and our motivation behind what we value:

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth where they can erode away or may be stolen. Store them in heaven where they will never lose their value, and are safe from thieves. If your profits are in heaven your heart will be there too” (Matthew 6:19-21, Living Bible).

Why Does This Seem So Difficult During the Holidays?

During the holidays, storing up treasures on earth can become even easier to do. It’s tempting to prioritize tangible things through gift buying and increasing our spending on holiday parties.

Perhaps you’re not a gifts person, but pulling off the perfect holiday dinner or the perfect holiday photo is what you want. Or maybe you desire to avoid the season and the loneliness it may bring altogether. 

As the holidays approach, it is important that everything we do and give is out of love for God and gratitude for His love.

Why It Matters

How you live your life during the holidays — and all year long — sends a clear message about what is important to you.

How you live your life during the holidays — and all year long — sends a clear message about what is important to you.

What does the way you live this time of year communicate? In these current times that are centered on social media and selfies, it’s very easy to live in a way that calls attention to yourself and cause you to forget the ways God would like for you to share your life so that others might know Him. 

The same Jesus whose birth we celebrate at Christmas told His disciples, right before He left for heaven, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, New International Version).

His instruction to them is also for us today. When you share God’s love with the world through your words, actions and how you spend your time and your money, you store up treasures in heaven.

One way to do this is by giving a portion of your finances. The holidays are a perfect time to reflect on God’s blessings in your life. When you share those blessings, you are also fulfilling God’s command.

Instead of getting swept up in the stresses of the holidays, what are some ways you could shift your focus back to God, loving others the way you love and care for yourself and living a life that stores treasures in heaven?

Next Steps:

• Focus less on your Christmas wish list this year and instead think of tangible ways to share Christ’s love with others: a gift, a paid bill, or maybe an invitation to dinner.
• Financially sponsor a missionary from your church or a local organization who is sharing God’s love through their mission work.
• Make time with God a daily priority. Try finding an Advent devotional to help you focus on Christ throughout the season.

Adapted from “Our Accountability to God”.