Praise Him for the Good!!

If your family is anything like my family then you may still have a couple of get togethers that haven't taken place yet. However, for the most part it's safe to say that Christmas has come and gone. At least the "holiday" of Christmas. I know for my family, and a few other families that I know, this Christmas had a completely different feel to it. For some it was due to a change in the home and for some it was due to a loss of a loved one. However, there were also some that were told the loss would come before Christmas and it didn't, which has turned into a blessing and the family got to spend one more Christmas together. Praise God for that! But it still has left Christmas with a different feel to it.
That feeling that each of us may be going through as this Christmas comes to an end has nothing to do with gifts either....at least not the kind under the tree. It's all about being with family and those that you love! And when you spend Christmas either without someone, with someone you weren't sure was going to be there or with someone new, it brings new meaning to Christmas. Some have been granted extra time and some have been granted new times. And in both of those situations the gift that you give and receive the most is love. And when love is the main gift of Christmas, I think it is finally being celebrated the way God intended for it to be.
I remember December of 2008 when we lost my dad. Yes there was a sadness that came with that Christmas, but there was also a new sense of love. The entire family came together way more than any other Christmas and we loved on each other way more than we ever had. Even with the feeling of loss, there was still a stronger feeling of love. And not just the love we had for each other, but a greater sense of God's love too. Knowing that He was the ultimate comforter and healer. I pray that He has been that for many this year as well.
If it's been a hard year, then if we're not careful I....we.....could all allow our focus to go to the things we don't have or how much things have changed this year. But instead, I am focusing on all the great things God has brought into my life for this Christmas. All good and perfect gifts come from God. (James 1:17). I will praise Him for the good, I will let go of the bad and I will trust Him with the future. I will declare now how much better 2015 is going to be because I am going to find new ways to serve Him and trust Him with it.
The attitude we choose to have in any given situation can change the entire situation. Take on God's attitude, take on God's love and look at things through His eyes. Thank Him for all the good that came with this year/Christmas and praise Him for the year that He has waiting for you. Let Him develop the attitude in you that will make this a good year!
God, no matter what we have gone through this year, help us to see all the good that You bring into our lives. Help us take on an attitude of gratefulness and let our lives reflect Your goodness. Allow those around us to see that we do not let our lives be defined by the bad moments that can and do happen, but instead we look for and thank you for all the good ones that come from You. In Jesus name, Amen