{"id":13715,"date":"2025-12-25T12:17:47","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T12:17:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/?p=13715"},"modified":"2025-12-25T12:17:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T12:17:47","slug":"a-christmas-devotion-for-tired-discouraged-church-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/?p=13715","title":{"rendered":"A Christmas devotion for tired, discouraged church leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"


By Chuck Lawless<\/span><\/span>, CP Guest Contributor Tuesday, December 23, 2025<\/span>iStock\/Ridofranz<\/span><\/p>\n

It has been a long time, but I think I was in seventh-grade that holiday season. That year, all I wanted for Christmas was a 10-speed bike. It seemed all my friends were getting one (at least, that\u2019s what they told me), and I wanted one, too.<\/p>\n

A blue one with a black seat and handlebar covers.<\/p>\n

I knew exactly what I wanted.<\/p>\n

The problem was that my family couldn\u2019t afford such a gift. Times had been difficult for us, and my parents let me know there would be no bike that year. They regretted that fact, but they didn\u2019t want me to be disappointed on Christmas morning. I\u2019d be lying to you if I said I went to bed that Christmas Eve with a great sense of anticipation and joy for the next day.<\/p>\n

In fact, I slept in longer that Christmas Day than I think I ever had. Why rush to the decorated family room when I knew no bike would be there in the first place?<\/p>\n

When I finally did get up that morning, I wandered sleepily into the family room, trying my best to look as excited as a selfish 12-year-old boy could look on a disappointing Christmas morning. I sat down at the base of the Christmas tree, looking around for the clothing I was sure was my gift that year.<\/p>\n

Then, my sister, who had already been up for some time, caught my attention and just stared at me for some reason. My mom did the same from another corner of the room. So did my dad. Everyone just looked at me as if something were seriously amiss \u2014 until my mom pointed my attention toward something I had simply not seen:\u00a0my new bike, exactly as I had wanted, leaning against the wall of our family room<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to believe now, but I had walked right past it. I was apparently so consumed with my ongoing disappointment that I had completely missed the unexpected gift directly in front of my eyes. It was so obviously there, in fact, that it would seem I had to intentionally choose not to see it (though I know that was not the case). The gift was there all along.<\/p>\n

Others pushing me to see the gift I had missed changed my perspective completely, and the rest of that day was joy-filled as I rode my bike in the middle of winter in Ohio.<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s the point of my story today? I fear that in this Christmas season, too many pastors and church leaders are so frustrated with what they don\u2019t have in their church … so disappointed that their congregation wasn\u2019t what they thought the church would be … so pessimistic that anything will ever change … that they walk right past the gifts of people God has given them in that same church. I want to push you to see them today.<\/p>\n

Those genuine gifts of supportive brothers and sisters may be fewer in number than you would like \u2014 but they\u2019re still gifts.<\/p>\n

They may not always be easy to see when you\u2019re consumed with disappointments and struggles \u2014 but the gifts are still there.<\/p>\n

Their encouraging voices may not always be the loudest ones \u2014 but those voices are still a gift.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re there \u2014 if you will only watch for them.<\/p>\n

I simply don\u2019t want you to miss the gifts God has given you this Christmas season. Don\u2019t let yourself be so consumed with frustration that you walk right past the brothers and sisters who are prayerfully and faithfully in your corner. Let them be a genuine source of joy for you.<\/p>\n

So, slow down today. Look around. The gifts of God\u2019s people are there.<\/p>\n

Originally published at Chuck Answers.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Chuck Lawless currently serves as Professor of Evangelism and Missions and Dean of Graduate Studies at Southeastern Seminary. A conference speaker and author or co-author of more than ten books, including Spiritual Warfare: Biblical Truth for Victory<\/em>, Discipled Warriors<\/em>, Putting on the Armor<\/em>, Mentor<\/em>, and Spiritual Warfare in the Storyline of Scripture<\/em>, Dr. Lawless has a strong interest in discipleship and mentoring. You can connect with Dr. Lawless on both Twitter<\/a> and Facebook.<\/p>\n