The Secret to a More Peaceful Holiday Season

by Lois Flowers

If I saw one article or blog post about how to have a stress-free, joy-filled, slowed-down, quiet-hearted holiday season this year, I saw at least two dozen.

fruit update

In addition to providing useful tips and encouragement, these kinds of pieces are helpful because they give us hope that such results actually are possible, even as the glittering, decorating, purchasing and consuming accelerates around us.

But while observing this steady stream of articles in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I also was experiencing something I’ve never really felt during the holidays, at least not to this degree.

Instead of being anxious about buying presents, taking the perfect family picture, sending cards, helping to organize our church’s Christmas Tea and getting our decorations up exactly right, I felt at peace.

Tranquil, even.

Not all the time, mind you. (We will purposely not include quotes here from various family members about when I failed to feel tranquil and what transpired as a result.) But overall, something was different this year.

Never one to let a positive change slide by without overanalyzing it, I started to ponder what might be at the root of this new scenario. Was it the fact that I had been much more intentional about purchasing up little gifts for relatives throughout the year instead of waiting until December to do it all?

Was it because this was the second year I had been more involved in organizing the Christmas Tea, so I felt more comfortable with all that it entailed? Maybe it was because I simply decided to forego a couple items on the list of holiday stressors—namely the perfect family picture and the greeting cards.

Those changes all helped, but none seemed powerful enough to produce the tranquility I was feeling.

Then it hit me. Maybe the difference wasn’t in something I began doing during the holiday season. Maybe it was something I started on Christmas Eve last year and haven’t stopped since.

You might be familiar with the practice of choosing One Word for the new year—a word that describes who you want to be or how you want to live for the next 365 days. I hadn’t planned to choose a word for 2015, but that Christmas Eve morning, a word chose me.

The word? Fruit.

More specifically, the fruit of the Spirit (as described in Galatians 5:22-23).

That very day, I began a practice of praying for all nine traits—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control—to grow in my heart and in the hearts of the people in my house. I can’t say I prayed for this every single day, but more often than not, I remembered to do it.

I wrote about choosing my One Word here, and added this update a few months later. In sum, while I prayed that these characteristics would develop more fully in each member of my family, I discovered that the one who needed them the most was me.

So I kept praying.

And as I consider my newfound holiday peace, I think that’s what has made all the difference. Over the course of the year, my prayers for the fruit of the Spirit became the protein that has sustained me through this Christmas season. I can think of no other explanation for it.

So I keep praying.

Some days, I pray for all of us in a fairly general way. Other days, I home in on certain traits for certain people—it’s pretty easy to tell when someone needs to be more loving or kind, for example, and we can all use more patience from time to time.

Next week, I’ll tell you about the new word I’ve chosen for 2016. Today, though, I want to share a simple secret to a less stressful holiday.

If you want your next Christmas season—yes, the one that begins 11 months from now—to be more peace-filled, pray for the fruit of the Spirit to grow in your heart every day.

Starting today.

Lois Flowers

P.S. I’m linking up this week with Grace & Truth, Abby McDonald at #RaRaLinkup and Holley Gerth at Coffee for Your Heart.

Leave a Comment

8 comments

Dawn January 7, 2016 - 8:00 pm

I loved reading this. Praying for the fruits of the Spirit each day is powerful! You’ve reminded me to be more mindful of this- and I appreciate it.
I have a word of the year, too. Last year it was trust and this year it’s joy.
Thanks for linking up with Grace and Truth. (I’m a new host there)

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Lois Flowers January 8, 2016 - 8:57 am

Dawn, “joy” is my older daughter’s middle name, if that tells you anything about how I feel about YOUR word for 2016. 🙂 I’m glad to see you as a host for Grace & Truth … I’m sure it will give you many opportunities to spread joy this year!

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Horace Williams Jr December 31, 2015 - 12:21 am

Well said Lois! I just wrote about peace and I am determined to feel more tranquil during the holiday season. I wrote about peace just last week. I believe we are more effective in doing God’s will for our lives when the “fruit” of the spirit is front and center in our hearts and minds. Thank you for sharing such a thought provoking post . I am still praying about my word for next year. Blessings to you and yours in 2016!

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Lois Flowers January 2, 2016 - 2:36 pm

Thanks, Horace. I hope you come up with just the right word for 2016!

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heather m. December 30, 2015 - 9:23 am

What a lovely and fruitful idea!! I too abandoned the sending of the cards in an effort to keep Christmas simple! (And I could probably be included in the dozens of posts about having a stress free Christmas!) I’ve been reading the Power of a Praying Woman and just finished the chapter a few days ago about praying for the fruits of the spirit to take root and grow in our lives. Can’t wait to add this to my prayer list for my family and me! Thanks for the reminder and Happy 2016! ♥

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Lois Flowers December 30, 2015 - 5:29 pm

I also love the Power of a Praying books, Heather (especially the parent and wife ones). So glad our paths crossed today … Happy New Year to you too!

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Linda Stoll December 30, 2015 - 8:14 am

I loved this post, Lois. It’s my second read through … so worth coming back for another savor!

Don’t you love how the fruit of the Spirit doesn’t just take off when the going gets tough, but becomes part of who we are? I’m so grateful for His faithfulness.

Grateful, too, for meeting you this year. Happy new year, friend!

Hugs …

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Lois Flowers December 30, 2015 - 5:38 pm

It’s interesting, Linda … even in situations when I didn’t respond well at all, I started becoming more aware of which “fruit” was lacking at the time. Convicting, yes, but also encouraging to know that the Holy Spirit never ceases His quiet workings. May you be blessed in 2016 as you have blessed so many this year, including me!

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