📖 The True Meaning of Christmas — December Bible Study– December 29th: Finishing the Year With Gratitude and Hope

📖 The True Meaning of Christmas — December Bible Study– December 29th: Finishing the Year With Gratitude and Hope

🕊️ Key Scripture (KJV):“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”— Psalm 103:2

📚 Devotional Thought:

As the year draws to a close, December 29th invites us to pause—not to rush ahead, but to look back with gratitude and forward with hope.

Christmas has passed, yet its message remains alive. God came near. God kept His promise. God proved His love. And throughout this past year—through joys, losses, answers, and unanswered prayers—He has been faithful.

This is a day to reflect honestly.Not just on the good moments, but on the hard ones too.Because even in difficulty, God was present.Even in waiting, He was working.Even in sorrow, He was sustaining.

Gratitude doesn’t mean the year was easy—it means God was good through it all.

December 29th reminds us that hope is not tied to the calendar. Our hope is rooted in Christ—the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Jesus born in Bethlehem is the Jesus who walked with us through this year and will walk with us into the next.

As we prepare to step into a new year, God doesn’t ask us to carry fear, regret, or heaviness forward. He invites us to carry faith, trust, and hope.

Christmas reminds us that new beginnings are possible—because Jesus came.

🎄 Post-Christmas Reflection: Remembering God’s Faithfulness

Throughout Scripture, God’s people were encouraged to remember what the Lord had done—not to dwell on the past, but to strengthen their faith for the future.

December 29th is a beautiful time to remember:• prayers God answered• strength God provided• doors God opened or closed• lessons God taught• grace God extended

When we remember His faithfulness, we step into the future with confidence.

🙏 Prayer Prompt:

Lord, thank You for walking with me through this year.Thank You for every blessing, every lesson, and every moment You carried me.As I prepare for the year ahead, help me walk forward with gratitude, trust, and hope in You.

✍️ Reflection Questions:

• Where did I see God’s faithfulness most clearly this year?• What lessons do I want to carry with me into the new year?• How can I finish this year with a heart full of gratitude?