Your fortnightly 1-2-3: Helping you navigate the tension between faith & mental health by looking at a tension point, a talking point and a truth to ponder.

Tension Point

“I love meeting up with friends and family over Christmas, but everyone else seems to have it all together. My life, by comparison, feels like such a mess. Where am I going wrong, and where is God in it all?”

Talking Point

The Christmas story starts in the most unlikely of places: a dirty stable. Can you imagine the confusion and disappointment that Mary and Joseph would have felt? How could God ask them to give birth to the Messiah, and not provide a place to stay?

Jesus was not born in comfort and control, but in the midst of instability and vulnerability. This is how God chose to enter the world, and how He continues to show up.

If we are honest, most of us look at those whose lives are tidy, peaceful and predictable and assume they have cracked the faith-code. Their prayers must be the ones being listened to. And we look around at our own mess and mistakes and wonder where we have gone so wrong. Finding God in these moment feels hard. It’s easier to see him in the blessing; harder when things feel missing.

Mary and Joseph were exhausted travellers. Their plans had been interrupted more than once. Nothing in their situation felt secure, and the arrival of Jesus didn’t change anything – they still ended up fleeing for their lives. Can you relate to any of those feelings?!

And yet this story is the first chapter of the ultimate story of Hope.

Truth to Ponder

So what can the Stable teach us about navigating instability?

God meets people in their ordinary, messy reality. Take heart. Healing often begins in places that feel unglamorous, chaotic, or unfinished. You don’t have to “get your life together” to be on the path towards hope. Restoration grows in the midst of imperfection.
Vulnerability is not a liability. Even Jesus, despite being God, started his journey as a baby utterly dependant on those around him, and remained reliant upon others throughout his ministry. Allowing ourselves to be supported – by God, community or professionals – can be a pathway to resilience.
Love enters the world quietly, not through force. God’s redemption plan wasn’t a political take over, as many hoped. It was a quiet revolution that started with an infant nursed and nurtured by a loving mother. Softness, compassion and patience can be more healing than striving for quick fixes. Don’t be discouraged by the small gentle transformations that will eventually change everything.

So if your life feels unstable this season—if circumstances feel shaky or uncertain—take heart.
The Christmas story is not about avoiding instability, but discovering Who is with us in it.

Just as Christ was cradled in a simple manger, may His presence rest in the unsteady places of your life, bringing peace that doesn’t depend on perfection, and hope that rises even from the straw-covered floor of uncertain days.

Prayer:
Lord, meet me in the unstable places of my life. Give me courage to rest in Your presence, even when circumstances feel messy or unpredictable. Let Your peace take root in my heart today. Amen.