Have you ever thought “Man, this is the worst Christmas ever!”? Sometimes Christmas is hard. But, the first Christmas ever was a pretty tough Christmas. In this series, Pastor Jamie Nunnally looks at the pregnancy, the emergency, and the nativity as we discover 3 keys to help you avoid having the worst Christmas ever.

How to avoid having the worst Christmas ever:

1. Adjust your expectations. 

2. Embrace God’s perspective.

3. Repurpose your pain.

A classic nativity scene usually has Mary and Joseph, Jesus as a baby in a manger, angels, farm animals, shepherds, and wise men. 

Romans 15:8-9 “Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews[b] to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. 9 He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them.”

You and I were there too in the heart of Jesus. We are the reason He came!

Shepherds – 

Luke 2:8-17

Shepherds were regular blue collar, hired hands.  

Why shepherds? 

1) Because God wants to save all (not just the wealthy and educated) and 

2) they were willing to share the news. God speaks to those who share. 

Wisemen – 

Matthew 2:1-12 

“Magi” professional astrologers from the east that interpreted astronomical signs as the birth of a new king.  Why magi? 1) Because God wants to save all (not just the Jews) and 2) they helped verify the birth of the messiah through objective observers and fulfillment of prophecy.  

God repurposed Joseph and Mary’s pain as a blessing to others. 

Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”  

Work together: syngery: when two things combine to create a greater effect that the sum of the individuals. 

Your tragedy is not your destiny. 

That catastrophe was not your calling. 

Use your disappointment to fuel your fight to win. 

Allow God’s purpose to repurpose what you’re going through.

How to repurpose your pain:

1. Forgive those who have disappointed you.

2. Let go of what should have been.

3. Find meaning in the mess. 

Are you letting God repurpose your pain?