Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing ways we can cultivate an intentional heart and home through the holiday season, touching on matters of our hearts, but also sharing practical tips to combat common holiday stressors, and ways we can be blessed and be a blessing to those around us this holiday season.
None of these ideas are revolutionary, only intentional steps we can take toward a more joyful and peaceful holiday season. Not every family celebrates, plans, or organizes the same way, so as you read through this series, please take what you find to be useful for your own heart and your own unique family.
And I invite you to kindly share any additional tips or words of encouragement you may have on our topics in the comments!
Expectations And Limitations
The holiday season can be full of pressure and rush to do all the things, so today’s topic is about our expectations and limitations around the holidays.
Expectations become crushing when we surrender to too many commands.
When we’re frantically trying to keep up and be in all the places, we somehow find ourselves slowly drowning, and destroying the fruitfulness of our work and peace.
Limitations shouldn’t be viewed as something to overcome, but rather, we should understand that our limits are part of God’s design, which He called good.
Limitations are a gift, not a deficiency, and it is when we accept our finitude that we no longer have a distorted view of our humanness, but can display humility and have rest and contentment.
We are constantly colliding with our limits, while also having unrealistic expectations that produce the burden of trying to be something that we are not and cannot be — fully in control.
➡️ Our finitude is not a time management issue, but a heart issue.
➡️ Having expectations and limitations means saying “no” sometimes.
➡️ Expectations (or limitations) need to be communicated in a gentle, kind, and loving way. Sometimes it’s awkward, and sometimes you won’t please someone because of it so it’s important to spend the time beforehand praying and considering what you actually need to convey.
➡️ How we respond and react to unmet expectations is a heart issue.
➡️ Having Limitations is not an excuse to be unintentional and undisciplined.
Reflection Questions
When everyone is trying to be the best, do the most, and be everything for everyone during the holiday season, we should ask:
“Is it quality that I’m giving?”
“Is my busyness becoming an idol in my heart?”
“Am I submitting to my created design of finitude or do I view my limits as a fault to overcome?”
“When am I making time for rest?”
Final Thoughts To Ponder
Are we allowing ourselves to be consumed with over-scheduled activities, having little space for rest, and reflection, and relationships that feel superficial? How then, should we respond to these ideas and convictions in our holiday season?
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