The holiday season is often a hectic time—whether it's visiting family and friends, buying gifts, eating food, and so forth. There's so much to do that we get caught up in the hustle of things and fail to slow down and spend quality time with God.

Holidays are often a time of major consumerism. Purchases are made more than usual around the annual holidays, and Christmas is no different. You also make travel plans or have guests such as family and friends over, so much time is spent preparing for these things. As a result,

we become too easily distracted by all the noise, particularly during the holiday season.

We live in a very consumerist culture where we're so bound by materialism that we become overly dependent on it. The danger behind that is that it becomes an idol, in which we are pulled away from the Lord. In turn, we become lazy, complacent, and restless because we're not spiritually grounded.

So what can we do? How can we hear God during these loud holiday seasons? Here are some points to consider and apply if you want to hear God this season.

Hearing God through His Word
First and foremost, we must get back to the Word of God. Want to know how God speaks? Read His Word. For when the Word speaks, God speaks. We hear it all the time, but many times, we are undisciplined in this area. Plan out a schedule in which time can be set for just reading through Scripture and praying, whether it is early in the morning or at night. With the busyness of the holidays in mind, carve out time out of your busy day and be with the Lord.

With Christmas in a few weeks, consider reading the story of the birth of Jesus. Many churches at this time celebrate Advent, a time of reflection upon Christ's birth. What a proper way to prepare one's heart before Christmas by considering that our Savior was born into this world. And when it comes to God speaking to us, He has spoken to us by His Son (Hebrews 1:2), whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. It is through Christ that we realize that the evidence of God's love for us is through sending His Son to die for us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8) and reconcile us to Him. In addition to commemorating Christ's birth during Advent, it is also about anticipating His return. Each day is a day closer to the return of the King of glory, who will take us to glory and be with Him forever.

We learn these by spending time in the Scriptures and receiving what the Lord is saying through it. We can take comfort in the fact that God is speaking when we read the Bible, as it is authoritative, infallible, inerrant, and sufficient. God is not man, and He should lie (Numbers 23:19). His Word is eternal, even when everything else in this world is passing away. We also have the Holy Spirit, who brings to remembrance everything our Lord has said (John 14:26). Nothing He tells us is contrary to His Word. Therefore, we find peace for our souls, no matter how chaotic everything else surrounding us is.

Hearing God through His Works
The second way we can hear God this holiday season is through His works, namely what He has done in His Word, what He has done in Christ and in our lives. Consider everything God has done in our lives this year amid challenging times. I understand that such seasons can be discouraging, but remember, God hasn't left you. At times, it may seem like He has a million times but He is saying to you, "I will never leave you nor forsake you", as He has often stated in the Scriptures. Never forget that God works all things (both good and bad) in our lives for our good (Romans 8:28) to His praise and glory.

Stop and Pray
As God speaks to us through His Word, we speak to Him in prayer. It is easy to become overwhelmed and stressed about managing holiday plans, finances, and so forth. So instead of stressing out, cast your cares upon the Lord because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). Consequently, you will be able to tackle the day better because you surrendered it all to God beforehand. I know these times can be hectic, but you don't have to do this alone in your own strength! God goes before you and with you every step of the way.

Share the Love
Don't just take this counsel for yourselves. If you have a family, conduct family worship this Christmas. After you open the gifts and drink hot cocoa, take part in a time of family worship. Read the Scripture together, teach your children why we as Christians celebrate Christmas, that it is more than the gifts, but the Giver Himself. Then take part in a time of prayer, thanking the Lord for what He has done in your lives, and ask Him for His continued guidance as the new year approaches.

God has no problem communing with us. The question is, are we willing to listen? Are we willing to put in the time to wait upon the Lord during the holiday season? Let us take these things into consideration today.

Source