Greg Butterfield

As Christmas approaches, I realize that some may have concerns and perhaps some anxiety about the future. There may be a lot of “noise” in your life: more or less constant engagement online without downtime, without time to be quiet and reflect and think, without time to look inside and discern where you are and where you should be going. You may be influenced by unrealistic expectations such as “perfection should be immediate” or “uninterrupted happiness and success should be the norm in life.” I hope you will lay aside these misconceptions, dial down the “noise,” and take some time this Christmas season—at least an hour, if not more—to reflect on the wonder and the majesty of the Son of God. Let it be an hour of reassurance and renewal for you. Take time to relax, be at peace, and see this little child in your mind. Do not be too concerned or overwhelmed with what is coming in your life. Instead, take a peaceful moment to contemplate perhaps the most serene moment in the history of the world—when all of heaven rejoiced with the message, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).