When the spirit doesn't move

We recently celebrated Thanksgiving with family and friends. We are now in the month of December when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We are busy putting up Christmas decorations, planning parties and going to every store trying to find the perfect gift. It is the season of giving and receiving.

We are so excited that we overlook the fact that there is a person or persons who are not celebrating. I call them the “silent minority.” They are not celebrating because they feel that there is nothing to celebrate.

This time of the year is a time for family, fun and fellowship, but for the “silent minority” it is a time of reflection. They look back over the year and feel pain. This year has been a hard year for them. They were laid off from their job, a loved one died, or they are dealing with a serious illness. They are not in the Christmas spirit.

I fully understand their pain. I could have been a member of the silent minority. I’ve had things to happen that I wish hadn’t happened. I’ve had persons whom I thought I could trust to disappoint me. There were times when I felt like giving up, but I realized that I had to keep on going. Life is made up of extremes, good and bad. Our lives are not measured by how we handle the good, but how we handle the bad. Life is so arranged that bad things do happen to good people.

I say to the silent minority to not dwell on what you have lost, but dwell on what you have left. Regardless of what you have lost, you have something left. Take what you have left and move on. Instead of having a pity party for yourself, just be thankful that things are as well as they are.

Yes, the writer was right: into each life some rain must fall. But don’t forget after every hard rain there is a beautiful rainbow. A smart man once said “tough times never last, but tough people do.”

Be encouraged because “weeping may endure for a night, but joy will come in the morning.”