The Kind of Hope That Outlasts the Holidays

Every year, I get excited for the “ber” months—September, October, November, and December. I love everything about this time of year, from summer shifting into fall to daylight savings time ending and, of course, the holidays.

With the promise of cooler weather, I get excited about decorating and building anticipation for my three favorite holidays of the year! But what happens when that time passes, and the final boxes of decorations get packed away, the music stops, and the extended family goes home?

Cue the inevitable post-holiday emotional and physical crash. That is not meant to dismiss the joy of family, fun, food, and celebration. We can and should still enjoy this special time of year, but we must accept that this goodness is temporary.

The problem is we often confuse seasonal happiness with spiritual joy. This is where the letdown usually comes from when the season ends.

The solution to this post-celebration sense of emptiness is recognizing that God and His promises for us are the only anchor for true, abiding joy that can last regardless of the calendar month.

Seasonal Joy as a Form of Fleeting Happiness

October pumpkins and costumes pave the way for November turkeys and pie, as well as the preparations for putting up the Christmas tree and all the decorations, activities, and planning that lead up to Christmas. These things are fun, but the fulfillment they offer is temporary. The joy is based on circumstances, sensory input, and ultimately the anticipation factor.

The world trains us early on to chase the next “high,” whether that be new purchases, new year’s resolutions, or the holidays. God warns in the scripture that this indoctrination is not from Him.

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14, NIV).

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21, NIV).

What we can take away from the scriptures in James and Matthew is that while our time on earth and the treasures we accumulate here are fleeting, our faith in God serves as our eternal anchor.

Seasons Change, God’s Promises Don’t

God is not subject to the weariness that comes with the human constructs of the calendar or time in general. Summer is hot, fall is cozy, winter enjoys Christmas, and invites the start of a new year. It promises renewal soon enough, leading us to Spring.

But, regardless of where we sit on the 365-day calendar, God’s promises are active and guaranteed. When we let Him be the anchor for our time, we don’t have to depend so heavily on nostalgic memories to experience holiday-level joy.

The scripture supports God’s promises. Hebrews 13:8 (NIV) presents Him as the ultimate anchor: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Psalms 33:11 (NIV) reminds us that His promises endure. “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”

God’s promises are not conditional on our feelings or behavior. His salvation is a blessing that we get to celebrate throughout the year. I don’t know about you, but I’m grateful that His promises are not directly dependent on me deserving them—because I fall short…a lot.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV) tells us that God’s promises are based on Jesus Christ’s finished work. This promise of salvation, His presence in our lives, and purpose stay true every day. Specifically, it says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

Here are some practical anchors for living in permanent joy:

Daily Meditation on the Word

We reinforce joy in our hearts when we remind ourselves that God’s Word and plans for us are true, while the post-holiday blues are not. One way to offset those blues is to think of God’s Word as a decoration that never comes down.

The application of scripture in this way involves creating a routine in which time with Jesus is intentionally set aside.

This reminds me of King David’s advice in Psalm 119:105 (NIV), the Word of God “is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” And this light will twinkle, long after the strings attached to the Christmas tree come down.

The Discipline of Year-Round Thanksgiving

Joy thrives in gratitude. The awesome thing is, we don’t even need Thanksgiving to show it. In fact, this is an activity that we can practice throughout the year.

When we shift our focus from receiving blessings (such as holiday gifts) to acknowledging ongoing blessings — like salvation, sustenance, and peace — a practical practice could be starting a gratitude journal or a daily prayer of thanks. And we can do these year-round rather than just during November.

Scripture reinforces this idea in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV): “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Hope in the Eternal Future

Rather than relishing in the temporality of holiday plans and decorations, we can make the purposeful choice to shift our focus from the fleeting holiday and subsequent letdown to the ultimate celebration by anchoring our hope in God and His promises for eternity.

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take time to enjoy our holidays. As I said, the “ber” months are my jam, but by altering how we focus, it allows hope a chance to shine. That creates an unbreakable joy that transcends disappointment when our favorite seasons come to an end.

Romans 15:13 (NIV) says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

God’s Unfading Light

God’s promises endure long after Thanksgiving fades and the decorations are taken down. We anchor our joy in him instead of temporary decorations by realizing the difference between circumstantial happiness and the joy received through His covenant with us.

Sure, it’s sad to pack up the holiday decorations. However, I think we can accept that letdown by remembering that God’s promises, presence, forgiveness, and eternal hope are things that we can adorn our whole lives with and never have to set aside.

So, friend, here is the challenge. Let’s work together to turn our post-holiday letdowns into moments of intentional spiritual re-anchoring. Let’s choose to live every day in the unfading light of God’s Word.