The holidays are supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” but they can also be the most exhausting.
Between family gatherings, travel, and endless expectations, you might find yourself thinking, I’m tired of people. The American Psychological Association reports that many adults experience increased stress during the holidays, with common contributors including family conflict, financial pressures, and heightened expectations.
Maybe your Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering looks less like a Norman Rockwell painting and more like a family sitcom. If you’re feeling emotionally exhausted, you’re not alone. What can you do?
Give yourself some grace. There is nothing wrong with getting tired of people, travel, and parties. Let’s remember that even Jesus experienced physical weariness (John 4:4–6). So, what did Jesus do?
Get away. Jesus regularly withdrew to deserted places to pray (Luke 5:16). After pouring Himself into people, He intentionally spent time alone with His Father. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a walk, get some exercise, or spend quiet time with God before frustration turns into resentment.
Get ahead of it. In addition to getting away, Jesus got up early in the morning and spent time in prayer (Mark 1:35). Before facing the demands of the day or significant events, Jesus met with His Father. If we wait until we’re overwhelmed to pray, we’ve waited too long. Time with God prepares us to love difficult people well. When we take the time to get up and get with the Lord, we’re given the spiritual food we need.
Give others some grace. Since it’s the end of the year, you might feel like you’re a bit burned out. Often, when we’re tired and worried about things, we take that out on the people we love the most. Is that parent—or that eccentric uncle—getting on your last nerve? Give them some grace. Think about what they really mean to you.
Get in the moment. Too often, when we’re sitting around as a family, we find ourselves on our phones scrolling through social media. First, no one posts pictures of a major family battle, so we might assume that every other family is better off than our own. Second, we can truly miss out. Try to be present with the ones you love. You don’t want to miss out on that baby’s first step or that parent’s last Christmas. We don’t know what tomorrow brings, so be present today. Although He was weary from His journey, Jesus gave the Samaritan woman He encountered His undivided attention (John 4:6–7).
Get with people. We were created for relationships (Genesis 2:18; Hebrews 10:24–25). Ironically, while the holidays often leave us feeling socially exhausted, the U.S. Surgeon General reports that about one in two American adults experiences loneliness. We need healthy moments of solitude with God—not isolation from people. Someone at your Thanksgiving table or Christmas gathering might desperately need your attention, encouragement, or simply your presence.
Loving people doesn’t require being available every moment. It requires abiding in Christ. Time alone with God renews our hearts so we can return to people with patience, grace, and the love of Christ.
