How can we find joy during the holidays when we’re burdened by grief? Advent remains a time of anticipation, where light breaks through the darkness as we reflect on the coming of Jesus. Yet, if you are burdened by grief, this season can feel heavy. I remember my first Christmas without my dad, my sisters, Angie, Sharon, and other loved ones who died. It felt unbearable. Having always been together, their absence left a gaping void.

Most often, I have been met with grief crashing down on me like an avalanche, suffocating and relentless. Year after year, more losses piled on, not just loved ones but other aspects of life—career, friendships, and identity—until it felt impossible to escape the cycle of grief. The holidays only intensified the pain, as the sights and sounds of the season reminded me of everything I had lost. And maybe this is where you are finding yourself in this season.

I’m here to let you know that you are not alone.

In moments of deep grief, it’s easy to feel like hope is slipping away. As Solomon wrote, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but hope fulfilled is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12).

Advent reminds us of hope fulfilled. As the world awaited Jesus’ arrival, we wait in our grief for His comfort and peace.

The journey can feel long. When Mary carried Jesus to Bethlehem, she carried both pain and hope, just as we do in our grief.

Advent is also a time of waiting, and for those grieving, it’s in the healing that Jesus brings. There’s hope even in our grief, because we carry Jesus with us.

He is the light that shines in our darkness. We may feel rejected and alone, much like Mary did when she found no room at the inn. But even in that humble place, the Savior of the world was born. Christmas reminds us that Jesus entered the world amid brokenness. His birth brings us hope, comfort, and peace.

Advent assures us that Jesus is with us, even in our darkest, never-ending moments of grief. He is Emmanuel, God with us. As Matthew quoted Isaiah 7:14, “They will call him Immanuel, which means, ‘God is with us” (Matthew 1:23). As we wait, we can rest in His presence. We can move toward Him, trusting that He is the anchor for our souls. This Advent, may we let the light of Jesus shine on our grief, knowing that we are not alone.

He is our hope, and He will guide us through the darkness, step by step.

**Find comfort in our Interview with Natasha today! Stick around for the next 5 minutes to find hope in your grief!

*For deeper reflection, listen to Matthew 1 today!