Hope for a Weary World

by Virginia Forste

An Elf on the Shelf

Have you heard of the Elf on the Shelf? The brand was introduced in 2005, but the story has its roots in 1974. It is basically a festive method to manipulate, I mean encourage, good behavior. The Elf travels to the North Pole, reports a child’s behavior to Santa, and comes back to the child’s home in a new location. It sometimes generates mischief by unrolling toilet paper or hanging from the chandelier. As with any holiday tradition, some people really enjoy taking it to another level. I’ve seen enormous messes caused by these elves. I’ve put it off for years. My standard line: “I guess our house wasn’t assigned an Elf.” And yet, this mom found herself imagining the next scenario for numerous evenings’ shenanigans. Our Elf’s name is Peppermint, and she doesn’t make messes. (Thank goodness for other lazy moms and Pinterest.)

Christmas can be such a fun time. It can also be really stressful. There’s so much to do between preparing meals, buying and wrapping presents, sending out cards, cleaning the house to make room for company, cooking, traveling, attending church and school events. Sometimes the stress comes from the expectations of others, and sometimes it’s a result of what we take on. Add in a recent election or strained family relationships and you’ve got a lot to face this season.

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands

I propose our weariness comes from trying to fix everything unfixable. We are not God, and our weariness deepens when we try to be. We become weary when we try to do a job that’s too big for us, one that wasn’t meant for us.

I am so glad that God is in charge. I have tried to change people, but that’s not my job. God’s job can be found in many verses of the Bible. For instance, Hebrews 1:1-3 states, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (ESV).

Notice the key phrases that are ascribed to Jesus and not us. He “upholds the universe by the word of his power.” Sometimes I try to “uphold the universe” by my power. I strain and struggle in trying to change my circumstances when Jesus is the one with the power to change the world. He absolutely invites us to participate in his plan, but he does not depend on us for the results. Remember that God is exactly like the Jesus we see in Scripture. He has the same love, grace, forgiveness, empathy, and every other good quality from Heaven. Stop holding yourself to a higher standard than God does. Are you trying to just get through this month, let alone make magic at every corner? That’s OK, too.

First John 4:9 reminds us, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (ESV). “Living through him” refers to eternal life in Christ. I could accept the pressure to make the holidays perfect. I could make the Elf’s mischief over the top and spend hours cleaning it up. I could spend a lot of money on props and a lot of time, in the middle of the night, to set up a highly entertaining scene. But that’s something I don’t need to do. I choose to go at my own pace; I’ll make it fun when I want to. Certainly, arranging an Elf on the Shelf is extremely trivial in terms of what you might be facing. Maybe you lost a loved one recently, or received a tough diagnosis, or your child has wandered away from your desired path. Where are you looking for the solution to your weariness this season?

From Weary to Joyful

How can you get out from under all the weariness you might feel this Christmas?

Give yourself a break, remember you don’t have to solve the world’s problems. It’s up to you to listen to God’s plan and ask to participate, but not for you to fix anyone but yourself (and we can barely do that!). Find the faces and places that bring you joy and focus on those. Figure out what, if anything, you can take off your plate. Jesus is the one who upholds the universe; I bet he can handle your universe, too. Better yet, take a poll. Ask yourself and your family, “What are the top 1-3 activities we want to do this season?” You may be surprised at their answers. Maybe they will suggest something more low-key than the activity you thought they just “had to do.” I file this under the same mystery as to why kids would rather play with the box than the toy that came in it.

Physically serve someone. Now, I realize this seems to feed the problem. Here, I’m talking about helping someone in an active way—not writing a check. I’m talking about volunteering at a school, or delivering a meal to a neighbor. Our church provides regular opportunities year-round such as serving communion or assisting our online ministry. What you’re doing here, hopefully, is connecting with others and focusing on a purpose beyond our little worlds. I’m a gal who used to sneak out at the beginning of the worship team’s last song so I wouldn’t have to interact with anyone. Ironically, the service is not where most of our deeper connections happen. Regular attendance is a good start. Think about the crowds and Jesus. During his big sermons with many in attendance, he usually preached and then went on his way. He formed his own small group and they got to know him and each other. That’s God’s design—the human touch backed by the Divine.

If you tried to do too much today and feel exhausted, tomorrow is a good day for a new beginning. Make a plan for next year. Maybe that plan involves an Elf, and maybe it doesn’t. Maybe the Elf has decided to retire at the North Pole forever. Most of all, we hope that plan involves you becoming a part of Christ’s Church so we can walk beside you and you can grow in Christ. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Virginia Forste is a mom of two and a substitute teacher. She enjoys writing, listening to podcasts, and being a Disney adult.