Christmas is almost here. Are you prepared? You have prepared for the expected, now it’s time to talk about the unexpected. The unexpected is inevitable. We may not know what form it will come in, but we know our plans will be derailed or diverted at some point. How we respond in those moments can make all the difference. Will you wrestle with reality and try to control the uncontrollable, or will you accept and surrender to the moment.
Today I am going to give you four words that will change those moments forever.
Welcome back to Best Christmas Ever. We are exploring 28 ways to make this an amazing Christmas!
#27 is… Acceptance and surrender.
Expect the unexpected. And when it rears its sometimes ugly head, acceptance and surrender are your friends.
Accept your relatives as they are. They probably mean well and are doing the best they can with their current level of knowledge, awarensss, and understanding. Try to have fun with the unexpected. Enjoy their eccentricities. Surrender to the moment. Don’t try to control. Don’t give it more meaning than it deserves. Much of what people do and say is caught up in the trivialities of life, so don’t get all worked up. Accept where they are in their journey, trust that God is inviting them to take one step closer to Him today, and try not to be an obstacle to them taking that one step closer to God. Accept. Surrender. Make this a judgement free Christmas.
How? I know it’s easy to talk about, but in the moment, it can be incredibly difficult to do. Our families know exactly how to push all our buttons. There is a very simple reason for that. They installed them. So, they know exactly where they are.
But here are the four words that will change everything.
Trust. Surrender. Believe. Receive.
Trust that God has this moment in the palm of His hand, and that there is no better place to be than in the palm of His hand.
Surrender. Stop resisting what is unimportant and inevitable. Let it be.
Believe that this moment is unfolding for some purpose unrevealed to you in this moment.
Receive. Open yourself to receiving every blessing God wants to fill you with. Open yourself to peace, surrender, acceptance, and the joy of the moment.
Trust. Surrender. Believe. Receive.
Trust. Surrender. Believe. Receive.
Trust. Surrender. Believe. Receive.
Say these words over and over again this Christmas, especially during the difficult moments created by difficult people. Trust. Surrender. Believe. Receive.
Matthew Kelly
Watch the video!