I'd like to hear some input on how to "get through the holidays" after being convicted not to celebrate them for biblical reasons. I'd like to invite you to share your family stories, memories, feelings, and witnessing opportunities (both successes & failures), and anything that may be edifying. Thanks in advance.
In my "introduce yourself" posts, I may not have fully explained, but I was saved out of the catholic religion around 2012 as a result of going through a long downward spiral containing a failed marriage, financial hardship, my interest in conspiracies, mid-life crisis, the Mayan calendar deception, bad mothering skills, drinking & smoking, most of which resulted in my multi-layered regrets and abhorrence of my life. I had so offended God and had led a life of wicked rebellion that I made my life a mess and I was powerless to fix any of it. I felt so worthless that all I could do was ask God for forgiveness if he would save me and if he would fix it. (It wasn't til a couple of years later that I realized my actions/sins had irrevocable consequences that can't be "fixed" in this lifetime, but I am hopeful for the life to come; my sobering remorse)
So over the years since then, God has been working on me through listening to the scriptures & I continually ask him to show me & purge from me anything that isn't pleasing to him in me. I've also been increasingly uneasy with the "traditions of men" and have been withdrawing from participating more and more. It was easier to start distancing from easter than christmas, since the "warm and goey feeling" (as Chris puts it) is much stronger in the latter. I had an especially hard time getting rid of 36 boxes of christmas, since I used to transform the whole house & got everyone involved. I did my best to make it a "family time" season for us. I guess I pushed it hard because we all knew we weren't the family we should be. Christmas was my most rebellious son's favorite holiday and I especially want him to saved. This year I separated myself out of my own family's dinner all together (among other things) and it was especially lonely.
For 5 years I have lived alone with my dogs an hour removed from my mother, husband & 4 grown children. I have always been the one to plan the family gatherings and bring all of our scattered-ness back together at least a couple of times each year. We've grown apart as a result of less forced holiday activity. But this year, maybe magnified by the "plan-demic", political unrest, economic doom, America's overdue judgment or maybe magnified by my now unwavering resolution to stand for Christ despite the persecution I see on the horizon ahead, it just seemed so much more emotionally tormenting. Perhaps it was that previous years I was still searching for a "local church" but this year the 501c3 issue was settled in my heart too. I believe the line is being drawn.
I stayed home alone this year and listened to sermons most of the day. I only got 5 text messages wishing me a merry christmas, and to each I responded by thanking them for their intended good wishes, but informing them I cannot celebrate it biblically & warning them of its pagan origins and anti-biblical nature. So for 4 of the 5 people, I did not hear another word. The 5th, however, a self-proclaimed christian (who does not want to hear about 501c3 churches, christian rock, new age bible perversions, nor about separating from unbelievers) answered me back asking why. Upon my very brief, factual, yet respectful explanation, she rattled back at me a string of "know it all" questions in typical knee-jerk fashion. I suppressed my desire to be snippy and argumentative, (grrrr -- flesh!) but rather reminded her that we are commanded to remember Christ's death til he comes, not his birth. And that there were only 2 birthdays celebrated in scripture and on both occasions, a man was killed. These scriptures also come to my mind when I hear people trying to justify their traditions:
Mark 7:13
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
2 Corinthians 6:17
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you
Acts 15:29
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well.
Of course she called me a Pharisee. I did send to her the link to Chris's 6-part series on "Christmas: the Rejection of Christ" but she instantly rejected it telling me that she and her God were in constant communication and that she didn't need to hear what someone else wanted to say about it. So I warned her:
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
She said she prays that God would keep her teachable, but she has no intention of watching the teaching I sent her.
James 5:19-20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Her response to the above:
"Exactly"
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I yearn for the souls of people like her.
Multiple times in my day/lying in bed at night, my eyes well up with tears as I ponder if I am in the place God wants me. If I am doing his will. If there is something else I should be doing. Where are all the brethren? Am I the only one out here? Or is that just my pride that I am doing whatever is right in my own eyes?
What about my family who roll their eyes when I tell them what the bible says. I pray that God grant them repentance. I pray he open their eyes to deception. I encourage them to listen to scripture and to seek his truth. What else can I do? / should I do?
I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!
~~Barb
