August 27. Is Pressure On Your Holiday Gift List?

As leaders of families and organizations, the holiday season certainly can bring its rewards. But it also can bring pressure on you and your team. Schedules get enhanced and modified. Patterns of production can change. Travel, gifts and parties demand your attention as well.

How do we deal with the pressure and stress as they bear down on us? The answer might be that they come down on us as part of the what and how of our value. There are three parts. Those parts are the why, the what, and the how. Simply remembering "why" we do, what we do, might be the key to some relief.

Have you ever done a project that you would question why did we do that? The best time to ask why is before you do it. Why is this holiday season going to be different for your team? I might suggest that if we do not ask ourselves the "why" now, it will not be different.

Why is the fourth quarter going to be the best quarter of your year or life for that matter? If you want to be inspired or inspire your team, perhaps we should find that answer now. What is the first thing that you can do about it in the next seven days?

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are not exempt from the pressures of the holiday season. Our focus on Christ, our why, just might be the answer to releasing the pressure. Can you really have a perfect gift at the holidays? Are you expecting others to meet some kind of expectation in your life other than to be relating to you in Christian love?

That question includes your family members. We read, "As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands." Psalms 119:143 NLT. The Psalmist finds joy in the commands from God. Should we as followers of Christ be able to find joy in Christ? What are we allowing to take our attention from the commands and from Christ?

Maybe a look right now at the calendar for the last quarter of the year would be important. Let us set our expectations now for why we will participate in a manner which will honor God. We can let our society and others shape our future focus or be inspired to take control and establish Christ as the focus. What is the first thing that you can do about it in the next seven days? 

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, thank you for the ability to love ourselves and others. In this world time seems to get away and when it does you might get away from us as well. When that happens, the pressures and stress can bear down on us. You have not given us any pressure but have given us mercy and grace.

Let us remember why we have that grace. Let us remember our relationship with Jesus Christ. May the pressure and stresses of this world be washed away like the sands on the shore are washed by the waves every day. Second by second, minute by minute, let your wave of grace wash over us. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen,