A Christmas devotion for tired, discouraged church leaders

It has been a long time, but I think I was in seventh-grade that holiday season. That year, all I wanted for Christmas was a 10-speed bike. It seemed all my friends were getting one (at least, that’s what they told me), and I wanted one, too.

A blue one with a black seat and handlebar covers.

I knew exactly what I wanted.

The problem was that my family couldn’t afford such a gift. Times had been difficult for us, and my parents let me know there would be no bike that year. They regretted that fact, but they didn’t want me to be disappointed on Christmas morning. I’d be lying to you if I said I went to bed that Christmas Eve with a great sense of anticipation and joy for the next day.

In fact, I slept in longer that Christmas Day than I think I ever had. Why rush to the decorated family room when I knew no bike would be there in the first place?

When I finally did get up that morning, I wandered sleepily into the family room, trying my best to look as excited as a selfish 12-year-old boy could look on a disappointing Christmas morning. I sat down at the base of the Christmas tree, looking around for the clothing I was sure was my gift that year.

Then, my sister, who had already been up for some time, caught my attention and just stared at me for some reason. My mom did the same from another corner of the room. So did my dad. Everyone just looked at me as if something were seriously amiss — until my mom pointed my attention toward something I had simply not seen: my new bike, exactly as I had wanted, leaning against the wall of our family room.

It’s hard to believe now, but I had walked right past it. I was apparently so consumed with my ongoing disappointment that I had completely missed the unexpected gift directly in front of my eyes. It was so obviously there, in fact, that it would seem I had to intentionally choose not to see it (though I know that was not the case). The gift was there all along.

Others pushing me to see the gift I had missed changed my perspective completely, and the rest of that day was joy-filled as I rode my bike in the middle of winter in Ohio.

So, what’s the point of my story today? I fear that in this Christmas season, too many pastors and church leaders are so frustrated with what they don’t have in their church ... so disappointed that their congregation wasn’t what they thought the church would be ... so pessimistic that anything will ever change ... that they walk right past the gifts of people God has given them in that same church. I want to push you to see them today.

Those genuine gifts of supportive brothers and sisters may be fewer in number than you would like — but they’re still gifts.

They may not always be easy to see when you’re consumed with disappointments and struggles — but the gifts are still there.

Their encouraging voices may not always be the loudest ones — but those voices are still a gift.

They’re there — if you will only watch for them.

I simply don’t want you to miss the gifts God has given you this Christmas season. Don’t let yourself be so consumed with frustration that you walk right past the brothers and sisters who are prayerfully and faithfully in your corner. Let them be a genuine source of joy for you.

So, slow down today. Look around. The gifts of God’s people are there.

Originally published at Chuck Answers.