“Everyone will have matching family Christmas pajamas this year! 2020 has been so rough, this is how people will cope. Order early. They’re expecting to run out.”
I read it, then scoffed. It was barely November. Could coordinated Christmas sleepwear throw a cozy blanket over the chill of 2020? Doubt it. Running out of Christmas pajamas? It’s not toilet paper . . . We’ll survive without them.
I kept scrolling, but couldn’t get those pajamas off my brain.
What if everyone has Christmas PJs and we don’t?
Within seconds I left Facebook and typed “Christmas pajamas” into my browser.
This is how it happens, right? We fall prey to the plague of holiday season comparison. The more we compare, the more we buy. And the more we buy, the more we compare. Soon, our joy disappears faster than the fudge. Suddenly, I can’t be happy unless all four of my children have matching jammies. I spend hours of my life shopping online for a pattern everyone will like and that comes in the size variety we need.
Really?
This holiday may feel different. There may be faraway friends who won’t be around because of travelling fears. Finances may be tight after extended shut downs impacted jobs and businesses. You may feel disappointed to miss out on “normal” Christmas activities like concerts, parties, or even church services.
It may be a fight to keep (or find) joy this holiday season. But, this I know for sure: Joy doesn’t come in buffalo plaid or red check. It won’t be amplified by even the best holiday finds. Keeping up with my social media friends or their Christmas traditions won’t satisfy me. There’s only one place where my joy can be made full. And that’s in the presence of Jesus.
In Psalm 73, the psalmist Asaph writes of the time his, “feet almost slipped.” What was Asaph’s near stumble? It was comparison. Asaph looks out his window at the newly divided Israel—he watches corruption, greed, and violence prevail. He’s served God faithfully, but feels like the wicked are faring far better than he is. In verse 4 he moans, “They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.” It’s as if he’s skimming Old Testament Instagram—looking at everyone’s perfect photos and deciding he’s missing out.
But then Asaph does something telling. No matter what happens in politics or with Coronavirus cases—Asaph shows us the true secret to finding joy, always.
In Psalm 73:16 Asaph confesses that his situation felt overwhelming until he stopped comparing and started worshipping. He ceases counting other’s blessings and begins to number his own. He turns his focus off of himself and onto his God. “Whom has I in heaven but you?” Asaph asks in verse 25. “Earth has nothing I desire besides you,” he continues.
What if we made that our prayer this Christmas? There’s nothing on earth I desire besides you, God. Not cute Christmas pajamas. Not the return to “normal” we pine for. No. The best presents can’t compare to the one that arrived in a manager. Thankfully—no matter how crazy our world seems—we can still celebrate this amazing gift. With or without matching Christmas pajamas.
Heather Creekmore writes and speaks hope to women inspiring them to stop comparing and start living. She’s author of Compared to Who? A Proven Path to Improve Your Body Image and The Burden of Better: How a Comparison-Free Life Leads to Joy, Peace, and Rest. Heather’s been featured on Fox News, Huff Post, Morning Dose, Church Leaders, For Every Mom, along with dozens of other shows and podcasts. She’s best recognized from her appearance as a contestant on the Netflix hit show, Nailed It. Heather and her fighter-pilot-turned-pastor husband, Eric have four children and live in Austin, Texas. Connect with Heather at Comparedtowho.me or through her “Compared to Who?” podcast.
