November 15th, 2025
by Sherri Lynn McRae
by Sherri Lynn McRae
“You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” Virginia Woolf
The wisdom in Virginia Woolf’s words lands especially close to the heart during the holiday season. In the blink of an eye, the end of 2025 is upon us, and the holiday season is in full swing. The Thanksgiving menu and table will be prepared for family and friends to gather. Christmas lights glow, carols play, and gatherings fill calendars; however, beneath the beauty, many hearts ache. The holidays have a way of magnifying joy and pain. Grief becomes sharper. Loss feels heavier. Estranged relationships sting all over again. The chair that sits empty at the table seems to speak louder than all the laughter in the room.
When life brings pain, our instinct is often to retreat. We isolate to protect the heart we fear may break again. We avoid the places or people that stir the ache and flood the memories. We step back from life, hoping the distance will bring peace. But avoiding life does not heal us. It only shrinks the space where peace can enter. Jesus offers us a different path. He doesn’t invite us to avoid life, He invites us to live it.
In John 10:10, Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Abundant life is not the absence of pain. It is the presence of Christ in the midst of it. Woolf reminds us that peace is not found in escape, but in engagement. Jesus tells us that true life, real, whole, abundant life, is found in Him, even as we walk through sorrow, uncertainty, or fear.
The Bible never pretends life is easy:
“In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33)
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley…” (Psalm 23:4)
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed…” (2 Corinthians 4:8)
Scripture speaks to the human condition and acknowledges that life this side of Heaven inevitably brings pain. But it also consistently calls us forward; to keep walking, keep trusting, keep living. Why? Because Jesus is not only the Giver of life, He is Emmanuel, God with us in every piece of it. When we avoid life, we often end up avoiding the very places where God wants to bring comfort, connection, healing, and renewal. Peace is not found in hiding; it is found in encounter. Encounter with God. Encounter with others. Encounter with the truth that we are not alone.
C.S. Lewis once wrote, “The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.” In other words, to avoid pain entirely is to avoid love, and that is not living at all.
This holiday season, you don’t have to pretend everything is perfect. You don’t have to smile through the ache. But you also don’t have to pull away from life to protect your heart.
Step toward life; slowly, gently, bravely.
Let the light in.
Let people close.
Let joy and grief share the same space.
Let Jesus meet you in every fragile and beautiful place.
Because Jesus came so you could have life, not just enough to survive, but enough to breathe deeply, hope fully, and live abundantly.
The wisdom in Virginia Woolf’s words lands especially close to the heart during the holiday season. In the blink of an eye, the end of 2025 is upon us, and the holiday season is in full swing. The Thanksgiving menu and table will be prepared for family and friends to gather. Christmas lights glow, carols play, and gatherings fill calendars; however, beneath the beauty, many hearts ache. The holidays have a way of magnifying joy and pain. Grief becomes sharper. Loss feels heavier. Estranged relationships sting all over again. The chair that sits empty at the table seems to speak louder than all the laughter in the room.
When life brings pain, our instinct is often to retreat. We isolate to protect the heart we fear may break again. We avoid the places or people that stir the ache and flood the memories. We step back from life, hoping the distance will bring peace. But avoiding life does not heal us. It only shrinks the space where peace can enter. Jesus offers us a different path. He doesn’t invite us to avoid life, He invites us to live it.
In John 10:10, Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Abundant life is not the absence of pain. It is the presence of Christ in the midst of it. Woolf reminds us that peace is not found in escape, but in engagement. Jesus tells us that true life, real, whole, abundant life, is found in Him, even as we walk through sorrow, uncertainty, or fear.
The Bible never pretends life is easy:
“In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33)
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley…” (Psalm 23:4)
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed…” (2 Corinthians 4:8)
Scripture speaks to the human condition and acknowledges that life this side of Heaven inevitably brings pain. But it also consistently calls us forward; to keep walking, keep trusting, keep living. Why? Because Jesus is not only the Giver of life, He is Emmanuel, God with us in every piece of it. When we avoid life, we often end up avoiding the very places where God wants to bring comfort, connection, healing, and renewal. Peace is not found in hiding; it is found in encounter. Encounter with God. Encounter with others. Encounter with the truth that we are not alone.
C.S. Lewis once wrote, “The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.” In other words, to avoid pain entirely is to avoid love, and that is not living at all.
This holiday season, you don’t have to pretend everything is perfect. You don’t have to smile through the ache. But you also don’t have to pull away from life to protect your heart.
Step toward life; slowly, gently, bravely.
Let the light in.
Let people close.
Let joy and grief share the same space.
Let Jesus meet you in every fragile and beautiful place.
Because Jesus came so you could have life, not just enough to survive, but enough to breathe deeply, hope fully, and live abundantly.
Sherri Lynn McRae
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