when hopes and fears are met in Christ
how the beloved Christmas carol resonates for so many people
What a wonderful time of the year, as we enter this season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, as we celebrate the end of the year, overflow with gratitude, count our many blessings, and look back & forward to the coming of Jesus Christ.
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie.
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
These words to “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” were penned in 1868 by Phillips Brooks, the rector of Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With its simple tune, these pensive words paint the peaceful scene of that silent night.
This Christmas season may be happy days for some and they may be hard days for some. To be kind and caring to all, some may find these days hard for different reasons: grieving over the loss of someone near & dear, struggling with mental health realities, or suffering in the midst of difficult life situations.
When those unpleasant feelings and emotions overstay their welcome, we can bring them to Jesus our fears, and exchange them for hope. God’s perfect love drives out fear, John wrote those words of hope. 365 times the Bible encourages us, “Fear not!”
I had to cling to those words of truth and hope, each and every day, one day at a time.
May I share something personal?
The joy of advocating for mental health turned out to take a toll on my own mental health. I’ve been going through depression, being in survival mode for over a month. Grateful to be doing better, slowly, day by day, week by week. (I am contemplating writing up a blog post next week at djchuang.com to share some excerpts from my journal entries, in hopes it may be of help to someone.)
What about you? How is your holiday season going? Personally, I’d love to hear from you—email me directly at email@djchuang.com or text 949-243-7260.
Many Christmas Blessings to You, One and All!
— DJ Chuang, Director of Christian Asian Mental Health, a program of Catalyst Wellness Alliance • 949-243-7260