Finding True Peace: How to Feel Calm Amid the Christmas Chaos
“For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit. The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace… Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans 8: 5-6; 14-16)
Why Christmas Often Feels Anything but Peaceful
During the Christmas season, the “shoulds” and “have-to’s” seem to pile on us more than any other time of year. The pressure we put on ourselves to live up to other people’s perceived expectations can be intense.
Do you ever catch yourself saying something like, “If I don’t do this, so-and-so will kill me”? Harsh language! Yet it is common to most people’s inner dialogue— and sometimes out-loud expression. Of course we know that the boss, the spouse, parent, or any other “authority” figure is not going to “kill” us if we don’t do what they want. Yet words have power. This seemingly harmless figure of speech points to what St. Paul was saying to the ancient Romans: “you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.”
The word “flesh” in this passage refers to all of the basic survival-mode concerns that we have every day. These fears and concerns are not necessarily bad. The body, or “flesh,” naturally wants to make sure that it is fed, living in safety, and has a supportive “tribe” around it to stay alive. It is when the pursuit of basic survival needs becomes abnormally intense, and we flip into “fight-or-flight” mode, that we become “slaves of fear”.
The perceived ideal of what Christmas “should” be like, which we often put on ourselves, has the power to flip us into fight-or-flight mode. Sadly, real pressure from outside forces– like financial strain or health issues in ourselves or families– can heighten our stress response, which St. Paul called the “fear” of “the flesh”.
Awakening the Spirit of Life and Peace
Mere bodily existence is not our purpose on the planet. St. Paul invites us to see that we can step out of “living according to the flesh” by “concerning” ourselves with the “spirit that is life and peace”. In this passage, he is showing us the two realities of life: the basic physical realm, and the emotional, spiritual realm.
Both the physical and the emotional aspects of human nature have equal influence into how we live our daily lives. Science has proven that our mere thoughts have the ability to trigger powerful emotions that create visceral responses in the physical body. Therefore, if we focus our thoughts on the spirit of God that lives within us, we can trigger emotions that fill us with “life and peace,” which, in turn, can improve how we are acting and being in the physical world.
In this passage, St. Paul is inviting us to remember that we are “children of God.” He is encouraging us to take a step outside of our immediate, physical situation, and look at it from a spiritual perspective. The Bible consistently shows that: God is love; God is peace; and God wants all of His creation to grow and thrive. As “children of God” we are meant to live in love, peace, and abundance, because that is the nature of God, our Father.
Simple Practices to Invite Lasting Peace Into Your Holiday Season
Here are a few ways that you can help yourself take the step-back from “fears of the flesh,” to tap into your divine nature as a child of God, to feel more “life and peace” this Christmas season. Remember, these practices are meant to be done in 5-10 minutes, to help alleviate feelings of overwhelm– not to add more to your “to-do” list.
Take a 5-minute meditative walk around the block. When you start to feel overwhelmed at work or home, go outside for a short walk. Breathe deeply; stretch your arms above your head; physically shake-out your hands to relieve the stress. No one needs to know what you are doing! After all, a typical bathroom break is 5-minutes long. The Bible says in Galatians 5:16, “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Give yourself the gift of a brief walk outside to reconnect with your spirit, and relieve some of the burdens of stressful moments.
Speak-out your gratitude list in the shower. Having a daily gratitude practice has been scientifically shown to improve cardiovascular health, as well as psychological health. Modern science has proven the ancient proverb correct, “A cheerful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). Dedicate shower time– which you do daily– to speaking out loud everything you are grateful for that day. Start by being grateful for the fact that you have a shower, and clean running water! Many people in war-torn areas of the world today do not have that luxury. Stay focused on gratitude for the whole shower, and you will be amazed how much better you feel.
Start a Christmas prayer journal. The act of slowing down your thoughts to write with a pen on paper is a great way to relieve stress and truly focus your mind on your prayers. With a prayer journal, you can lay out your deepest desires to God, knowing that your prayers are heard. If you hold on to the journal, you can re-read it after some time to see how God has answered your prayers and worked miracles in your life. Again, keep this journal practice short and simple, dedicating only 5-minutes of time before you go to bed. Switch-out the 5-minutes you usually spend looking at social media “one last time,” for a quick jot-down of your prayers in a journal.
Putting simple practices like these into action will truly help you feel calm amid the Holiday chaos this year.
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If you would like to start a journaling practice this Christmas, we are offering a guided journal that incorporates: a peace-focused Bible verse; a brief commentary about the scripture; and a thought-provoking reflection question. Each daily entry for December 1-24, is meant to be completed in about 5 to 7 minutes. Check out Beyond the Bustle if you are curious.
