Different Christmas, Same God

To put it very simply, this Christmas has been different. 

But as I thought about the word “different,” and the many ways we use this word in our lives, I found that different is often associated with a negative connotation.  Phrases such as these are common:

           

            “Sorry babe, but things are different now.”

            “It’s so different without him here.”

            “Why does it have to be different?”

           

And as I thought through some of these situations, I felt this overwhelming sadness.  Yes, many things this Christmas have been different: living away from home, not being with family, and having no snow or cold temperatures or Christmas lights to have an atmosphere that feels like Christmas are just a few.  When things are different, they often involve weariness, uncertainty, and many negative emotions often associated with change.  But that doesn’t mean that different is always negative. 

For example, look at the events of my past few days.  School ended on Friday, so Friday night we had a staff Christmas party, complete with worship songs in a few different languages and a Bollywood dancing performance from India at the end of the evening.  I then spent the week before Christmas in Bangkok, Thailand, exploring one of the highest-rated tourist cities in the world with some close friends from America. Before I left, I was invited to many different Christmas celebrations, from nationals and expats, and I had to turn down quite a few invitations. Then this evening, for Christmas Eve, I sang in a Christmas Eve candle lighting service outside, in a pavilion, with a manger scene, and it was a powerful moment.  Different, yes.  Negative, absolutely not.    

Different can often involve painful memories.  But sometimes, things being different can be God’s blessings coming to us in a slightly different way than they were before.  Different can also be a positive, new perspective that brings a greater picture of life than what we had before. 

Regardless, whether this Christmas season is filled with different situations or familiar ones, Christmas always involves God’s blessings.  So whether you are in America with family, or around the world with adopted family, don’t miss out on God’s blessings among the seemingly never-ending differences.  His blessings are always there; sometimes, we just need to look in a different light. 

God bless you all in this Christmas season.  I am so thankful for each and every one of you who is supporting me, praying for me, and connecting with me through this adventure.  I pray you feel His never-ending, magnificent, beautiful, and perfect love through the little baby Jesus this season.  I love and miss you all.  Merry Christmas from the South Pacific!  

Luke Forshey

December 24, 2015