Bah Humbug: My Christmas Story

“‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’”
— Matthew 1:23

I’m not big on Christmas. That is hard to say as a Christian, but it is true. I fall more into the “bah humbug” chorus line. So, if you are thinking this is going to be a Hallmark movie type story-line, well…let’s not give away the ending just yet, because I have no idea what it is.

After my parents divorced, Christmas break became a dread for me. Don’t get me wrong. Everyone did their best to make it the best. I enjoyed seeing my family, the presents and festivities. However, I also spent a lot of time traveling to split time between families. I missed events, festivities and basketball practices. I struggled with finding joy in the season because I always felt I was missing out. I couldn’t be two places at once, and something was always going on wherever I wasn’t.

Wendy and I married right out of high school and started a new family. Our first Christmas together was going to change everything. However, it was filled with anything but joy. We spent 13 days at the hospital following my brother’s wreck, and laid him to rest one week before our first Christmas together.

For most of my life now, when December 2 arrives (the date of my brother’s wreck) the “bah humbug spirit” hits me hard. I tend to withdraw somewhat. I try not to plan meetings on December 2, 15 and 18 (dates of his wreck, death and burial). I also tend to withdraw from my wife, children and my Lord. It is not intentional, but it happens every year.

It happened again this year. This week I shirked my habits. I neglected my normal daily devotions and Bible study. So, this morning I decided to catch up. I read through several days of devotionals all at once. I tend to read 3 most days (from an author I tend to agree with, one I disagree with and one I don’t know). It challenges me to think and process from different perspectives.

I was amazed this morning when all 3 hit on the same theme multiple times, and I adamantly disagreed with all of them. All of them talked about sin in our life and how it puts “paralyzing roadblocks between us and our Heavenly Father.” They talked about how God would remove His presence from our lives. One of them wrote, “He will withdraw the sunshine of His presence from a cold, wandering heart.”

WRONG! Nothing could be further from the truth.

There is absolutely no doubt I am wrong during this season of the year. My heart does become cold, and I do wander in my grief. I tend to neglect what I know is right. And some years I have expressed it as outright sin. Yet, my Lord NEVER withdrew from me. I withdrew, but He was always present, knocking at the door.

“For He Himself has said,” declares Hebrews 13:5, “‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18) On and on I could go.

Paul understood this truth and penned the words, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

I withdraw. I change my focus. I can’t see Him. I feel distant. I feel alone. But He has not moved or changed. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) That was written just three verses after “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (v.5)

My “bah humbug spirit” doesn’t change Christ. Nor does it change Christmas. It is only a change in me. It is me not being able to see the reason for the season in the moment: God is with me!

“'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:22)

Christmas celebrates the moment God came and walked among us as a man. However, that was not just a point in human history over 2,000 years ago. It is today, and in this very moment. It is the life of every believer. God is with us! He is with us on December 25 and July 25 and every moment in between. Christmas is not a season, it is the life of a Christian. And if I can’t see Him in my life, it is me who needs to change.

Maybe you are like my wife and deeply enjoy the holiday season! Awesome! Shout the reason for the season loud and proud. Or maybe your like me and struggle through the holiday season. If so, I’m sorry. But trust this, God is with you! He loves you and desires to work through your life for healing, to restore relationships and to guide you; His child.

The coming of Immanuel (God with us) was never meant to be a holiday! It was meant to be an everyday experience in the life of believers. God is with you! He loves you! He desires to live through you on Christmas and every single day of your life. Don’t give a day more importance than it deserves. The reason we celebrate is the same every day of the year: Immanuel (God with us). When you don’t experience that truth, it is you who needs to change.

Hallmark Ending: Joseph married Mary. They had an amazing son, a carpenter from a small town. Jesus Christ changes the world. He took a farm boy from Texico, NM (too tied up in his own life to notice what matters) and gave him a gift of unimaginable power. The farm boy would at times ignore Jesus and act like He wasn’t there. Crises would follow, but Jesus never left him. As the power is revealed to be a new life in Christ, the farm boy realizes little by little that life is not about himself. It is about Jesus. And while the farm boy might not live happily ever after, he actually might struggle on a regular basis, he does have joy and knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus will complete the work begun in his life! For God is always with him. Merry Christmas! THE END

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.