We’ve been burned by friends, family, or even the church. We’ve been wounded by extreme financial challenges or unforeseen sickness. Life regularly crushes in, and it seems like we can’t catch a break. It’s easy to fall into cynicism when you are constantly feeling weary and heavy-laden.

So what is a Christian to do when faced with the unrelenting challenges of life? The Word of God has the answer. Look at these powerful verses from the letter of James

The word James uses is “count,” which means to consider, reckon, or think of as true. This is an amazing thought. You and I, when faced with exceedingly difficult challenges, are to “consider it joy.”

It’s only possible when we view our trials through the lens of who our God is. Our God is good. Our God is love. Our God is our heavenly Father who desires His children to grow and become like Jesus. According to these verses, that is precisely what trials are meant to do for the followers of Christ. Trials make us complete and mature, so we lack nothing. In other words, trials are a direct route to Christlikeness.

So, whatever you are facing today, no matter how difficult, look at it through the eyes of a loving heavenly Father who is shaping you into the image of His glorious Son, Jesus Christ. With this perspective, I can fight off my inner curmudgeon and walk in the joy of the Lord, come what may.

When life presses in on you, what is your go-to source of comfort?

After all, that’s exactly what the old hymn encourages us to do:

We take it to the Lord in prayer. God longs to hear from you—not just when life is going well, but especially when you’re in the midst of a struggle.

He cares deeply for you and is never too busy to listen as you pour out your heart to Him. It is a profound privilege to speak with the Creator of the universe, and we can approach Him at any time—day or night (or both)!

He invites you to cast all your cares upon Him. Why? Because He cares for you—yes, you!

God has a word for us when times are tough. A Word that is thousands of years old yet as timely as ever. It is Psalm 46:

The Psalmist vividly portrays a world in chaos, where everything seems to be falling apart. Yet, in the midst of this turmoil, there is a call to be still, to know that God is in control. In some translations, the comforting phrase is translated as “Cease striving and know that I am God.”

That is a beautiful, picturesque description of our first step when faced with insurmountable challenges.

No, instead, stop and recognize that there is a sovereign God behind it all who is working everything for good. If we “be still” and “cease striving” and instead pray to the one in charge, peace will inevitably wash over our anxious hearts as we rest in Him.

Every generation has wrestled with trials and tribulations. Since the fall of humanity, life has NEVER been easy. There is always warfare happening spiritually, physically, and even emotionally. 

Yes! Let me show you the way!

It’s simpler than you might think. It has to do with your perspective. I’m not just talking about “The Power of Positive Thinking,” which will never give lasting results.

I'm talking about where you place your thoughts. If you place your thoughts here and focus on all the challenges this life brings, you will eventually become discouraged and maybe even overwhelmed.

But if, instead, you set your mind on Heaven, you will find your spirit and emotions will soon follow. This is what the Apostle Paul challenges those in Colossae to do:

Paul knew the power of intentional focus on substantial reality. We are steeped in this life. We are always walking around with an earthly vantage point. But what if our focus was more heavenly? What if our hope was no longer rooted in earth, but instead in Heaven—the dwelling place of the Lord?

I’ll tell you what would happen:

• your problems would seem less overwhelming, 
• your worries less significant, and 
• your joys more prominent. 

And if we live in that hope, whatever this life throws at us will pale in comparison to the immense blessing that awaits us!

Christmas is the only time of year you’ll regularly hear excellent Christian theology broadcasted on secular radio stations.

It’s really quite fascinating when you think about it.

The world is full of lost people doing their holiday shopping while hearing about the savior’s birth in the background music.

Christmas is a unique time of year and Christians will do well to take advantage of that!


I wanted to bring this list of Christmas Carols with good theology to your attention for a few different reasons:

1) They can inspire your worship of God.
2) They can help you meditate on God’s truth.
3) They can be conversational starting points to talk about the meaning behind Christmas (Jesus).

Here's the list of powerful Christmas songs and hymns:

“Emmanuel” or “Immanuel” has to be one of the coolest names attributed to Jesus meaning “God with us”.

The hymn as a whole, throughout its impressive 7 verses, refers to Jesus by many names, many of which come from the Old Testament such as “branch of Jesse’s stem”, “key of David”, and “bright and morning star”.


Where this hymn really stands out is its powerful portrayal of salvation.

The incredible thing about the gospel is that it is at the same time simple and extremely profound.

Christians can get caught in a rut of thinking of Jesus’ salvation in only the simplest ways we communicate it.

This song displays the rich depths of the gospel in such a beautiful way, it will be worth your time to meditate on.

O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light

Most musicians no longer perform all 7 verses of this song, but I highly recommend that you check them out!

Read the full lyrics here

This short hymn is packed with rich truth and a strong emphasis on the salvation that Jesus brings.

I especially like the second verse which reads:

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

Read the full lyrics here

This song will help you to see the glory of God in the incarnation.

“Incarnation” means “in the flesh” which we use to describe how God became a man, ultimately to save us.

Read verse two:

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin's womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th'incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.

Read the full lyrics here

O Holy Night has to be one of the most powerful Christmas songs ever written.

While originally written in French, it has been translated into many languages all over the world.


Perhaps part of the power behind this song is that it does such a great job describing the character of Jesus and how his salvation impacts each and everyone one of us personally.

Here are a few examples in the song:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.

In all our trials born to be our Friend.
He knows our need-- to our weakness is no stranger.


Some of my favorite lines in the song are:

Truly he taught us to love one another;
His law is love and his gospel is peace.
Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother,
And in his name all oppression shall cease.

The phrase “His law is love” references the stunning passage where the Pharisees attempted to stump Jesus by asking what the greatest commandment was. Jesus replied in Matthew 22:37-40 saying,

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”


Also, keep in mind this hymn was written when slavery was still around and legal in both France and the United States.

But that’s the power of the love of Jesus. Surely, in his name all oppression will cease.

Read full lyrics here

5) O Little Town of Bethlehem
This song does a fantastic job showing the paradox of God’s salvation.

The eternal God would bring salvation to the whole world through a small child, in a small town, mostly unnoticed by the world.

Consider the third verse:

How silently, how silently
the wondrous gift is giv'n!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of His heav'n.
No ear may hear His coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive Him still
the dear Christ enters in.

Read full lyrics here

No more silent night
We live in a chaotic world where busyness is a virtue and the noise never stops.

But the message of salvation through Jesus Christ remains the most important message the world needs to hear.

Know this message
Share this message
And Praise God

Do these things and remember, these Christmas Carols can help.