"The Trap Of Unimportance"

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."  Colossians 3:2

 

I knew Christmas was going to be different this year given the fact that some of our family was no longer with us, some weren't going to be able to come "home" for the holidays, I didn't do any of the traditional baking I usually do and I couldn't seem to find time to decorate the outside of my house.  But little did I know just how different it was going to be.  I found out the week of Christmas just how different it could be-- my husband had to have triple bypass surgery.  He had it two days before Christmas, therefore, we spent Christmas in the hospital. 

While at the hospital my daughter and I were talking about how times like this help you to refocus on what is really important and what isn't.  We tend to focus on things that really aren't important.  We get caught up in life's trapping and traditions.  We put emphasis on things that are temporary.  We stress, worry and get anxious about making sure we get all the "details" just right.  But we miss the whole point.  Take Christmas for example.  We are so concerned about the gift giving, the gift wrapping, the decorating, the baking, having everything we consider Christmas perfect, that we miss the whole reason why we are celebrating--- it is Jesus' birthday.  We didn't get to enjoy the decorations, the holiday foods, the gift exchanging, etc., but life went on and we made it through it.  Now it is all just a memory as it would have been had it been a "normal" Christmas for us.   

When we focus on all the exteriors and worldly reason for the season, we get caught in a trap.  A trap that leads us further away from the true meaning.  The enemy of our soul wants to steal, kill and destroy us.  He wants to get us caught up and focused on the things (cares of this life) that don't really matter that much so that he can trap us.  Once trapped we get consumed with the externals.  Once trapped we get fearful.  We lose our peace and our joy.  Once trapped we lose sight of what is and isn't truly important.  Once trapped we neglect the eternal.  Once trapped we forget about our God-given purpose because we are so pre-occupied with other things that aren't that important.

I know I have been lengthy.  But stay on guard.  Don't get caught in his trap.  Prioritize what is and what isn't important.  Don't lose sight of the eternal because of the temporary.  Don't set your affection on things below but on things above.  Some of the things we stress so much about aren't worth it.  Choose the things that are worth it and focus on them.

Have a great day.  Don't get caught in the trap of the cares of this life that aren't really important.