Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas

A special Christmas edition of the Quick Charge Your Faith devotionals

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Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas

The holidays are a time of tangled lights, overbooked calendars, and family gatherings that don’t always go as planned. Even so, we chase after some perfect picture of Christmas, an idealized memory that never actually existed. And what do we get? Debt, stress, exhaustion, and that sinking feeling when the lights come down, the trash gets carried out, and a strange sense of relief that it only happens once a year.

The first Christmas was a mess too. Shepherds were out in the fields when a host of angels burst onto the scene, lighting up the sky and terrifying everyone. “Fear not,” they said, before breaking into a heavenly chorus that left the shepherds stunned and scrambling.

In Bethlehem, a young couple arrived after a grueling journey, only to find no room at the inn. Mary, about to give birth, had her baby and laid Him in a manger—surrounded by hay, animals, and the smells that come with both. Visitors arrived unannounced: shepherds, wise men, and later, Herod’s soldiers who turned the story into one of heartbreak and horror.

No, it wasn’t neat or polished. It was noisy, crowded, messy, and somehow glorious. Into that chaos, God stepped down as a baby, not just to be with us but to turn our upside-down world right side up.

We expect strength to look like power, but Christ came in humility. We imagine victory as dominance, but He taught that the meek inherit the earth. The world wanted a warrior king, but God gave us a Savior in swaddling clothes. That baby grew up, endured suffering, and defeated death so that we could have eternal life.

Yet somehow, we still find a way to turn Christmas upside down all these years later. It’s easy to feel isolated, stressed, or inadequate. But instead of striving for perfection, maybe it’s time to embrace the mess. Love your neighbor, even in the middle of your own chaos. Invite someone lonely into your home—not your perfectly curated Instagram version, but your real, messy, lived-in home.

If you’re the one struggling, remember that Jesus knows messy. He entered this world to walk with us through it. Call out to Him. He is waiting for you and still brings hope, even in our most chaotic moments.

If you are thinking, “I wish I had read this two months ago” - well, there you go again - worrying about how this Christmas could have been better. Christmas only gets better when there is more of Christ in it. Open your heart and let Him fill it with real joy. That joy is the greatest gift you can receive and give.

This Christmas, unburden yourself. The perfect gift has already been given. Your job isn’t to match it; it’s to share it. Smile at someone, lend a kind word, or simply let the joy of Christ's birth shine through you.

Have yourself a messy little Christmas. It might be exactly the kind of Christmas God can use to bring His light into the world.

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