But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”

Luke 2:10

The angel’s proclamation to the shepherds in the field was not about happiness; it was about great joy. The distinction is crucial, especially during a season that often confuses the two. Happiness is a fleeting emotion, entirely dependent on our circumstances—a successful holiday, a stress-free travel day, a perfect family gathering. It’s the result of things going our way, and it’s fragile. Joy, however, is the deep, lasting, and unchangeable inner disposition found in the historical fact of the Savior’s birth.

For the shepherds, the announcement of a Savior was news that transcended their humble circumstances and the political chaos of the Roman Empire. It was a message of eternal, redemptive significance—a foundation for joy that could not be extinguished by disappointment or hardship. We, too, often find ourselves frantically chasing the temporary happiness of a successful holiday, which only fuels the hurried, anxious feeling of the season. We become consumed with last-minute preparations, decorating, and gift-wrapping, all in an attempt to create happiness, only to feel empty when the efforts fall short.

The message of Christmas calls us to stop this striving. The core of Christmas is not the happiness of a successful holiday, but the lasting, unchangeable joy found in the news of the Savior's birth. This joy is a gift, rooted in the Incarnation—the Word Made Flesh. It is the quiet, immovable foundation of our faith that remains regardless of our holiday success or failure. We find this great joy when we intentionally stop and refocus our hearts on the simple, historical, and profound truth: Christ was born. This reality permeates our hurried tasks with peace, transforming them from stressful obligations into acts done with a joyful heart, anchored in eternal hope. This is the essence of an unhurried Christmas—trading the fleeting pursuit of happiness for the enduring reality of divine joy.

Amidst last-minute preparations, consciously stop and refocus on the historical fact that Christ was born, letting that joy permeate your hurried tasks.

Questions for Reflection

1. How has your Christmas experience this year been defined more by the pursuit of happiness (circumstantial success) than by the foundation of joy (the truth of the Incarnation)?

2. What is one last-minute preparation you are rushing through right now, and how can you intentionally use that task as a moment to refocus on the truth of Christ's birth?

3. If this "great joy" is for all the people, who is one person you can intentionally share the true, unchangeable source of your joy with today?