Overcoming Post-Holiday Stress Through Faith and Scripture

Christmas is over and all I want to do is sleep of the post-holiday stress 😂. Between decorating and taking down, baking and eating, visiting and wrapping, I’m done in. While the new year is always exciting to me, I feel like I always spend January just catching up on normal life after a whirlwind December. Don’t get me wrong, I love the birth of Jesus Christ, and all that the Christmas season brings. I love the busy holiday season filled with joy and gift giving. It truly is a time of joy. Yet it’s also a time that strains my mental health. It’s a time that is filled with unrealistic expectations. My secret weapon, however, is Scripture. In January I refocus on Christ and God’s Word.

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Introduction

The weeks after the holidays can be a challenging time of year, filled with lingering stress and the aftereffects of holiday anxiety. The excitement of the season has passed, and now the demands of returning to normal life—managing finances, reestablishing a daily routine, and catching up on enough sleep—can feel overwhelming. It’s a time when mental health can take a hit as we process the aftermath of holiday busyness.

But even in this post-holiday stress season, God’s love and presence remain constant. By leaning on His Word and embracing His good things, we can replace holiday anxiety with peace and find renewal for our spirits. In this post, we’ll explore practical steps to help you navigate post-holiday stress while staying anchored in God’s love, including creating healthier routines and trusting in His provision. Let’s discover how faith can transform this time of year into one of hope and healing.

Recognizing Post-Holiday Stress Triggers

The post-Christmas season often brings financial strain, family tensions, and exhaustion. We’ve spent money we don’t normally spend, whether we go into debt or not (I hope you didn’t!); we put on a smile despite normal conflicts that are still occurring during this happy season; and we stay up late with parties, wrapping, and tree-gazing. The reality is that all this strain, tension, and exhaustion leads to diminished spiritual health.

January is a great time to recognize that the stress often triggers a distance from God. In our haste to provide a meaningful and memorable Christmas we sometimes neglect our Scripture reading and study. Bible study takes a back seat as we focus on the earthly good things associated with Christmas.

The enemy loves when we take a break from our reading and studying! When we spend quality time with God in study and worship, we draw close to Him and build our lives around Him. When we take those breaks, though, the enemy sneaks in and showers us with lies. He tells us that quiet time reading and studying isn’t necessary for our faith walk. He lies to us and says that the peace of God can be found in family, not Scripture. Keep in mind that just like when the enemy tempted Jesus, there is a kernel of truth in his lies.

Yes, we can still pursue our faith without reading Scripture and studying it. But it’s infinitely harder to do so. And we are called to study and read Scripture. Yes, family is important, but they cannot give us the peace of God that comes from drawing near to Him.

Let’s not forget that all this stress and strain also affects our kids. While they may not be spending money and doing all the prep that we do, they still feel the strain of longer days, trickle-down stress from parents, and bodily stress of being over-sugared for a month. They, too, need a time to refocus on what’s really important – God and our faith walk with Him.

Turning to God for Rest and Renewal

There are many Scriptures about rest and trusting God. I recommend reading through them and then writing them down in your journal. It may take a few days to write them all down, but that’s okay. Pray through them as you write. Ask God what He wants you to know about those verses and how they can impact your life and service for Him. Personalize the Scriptures as you write them.

Here’s a prayer for you as you get started: Dear Lord, Thank you for the gift of the Christmas season. Thank you for sending your Son to live and die for me. Thank you for the gifts I gave and received in your name this holiday. But now I’m tired. I am stressed by all that I did and I’m ready for rest. Show me how to rest in you and how to trust you with my new year. Show me how these verses I’m reading and writing can give me a better way to live. A way to live for you every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Practical Steps to Manage Post-Holiday Stress

Managing post-holiday stress doesn’t have to be difficult. The first trick is to establish a new daily routine. For me, this always comes back to quiet time first thing in the morning. I love to watch the sun rise and pray for my day, my marriage, and my kids. I love reading Scripture while I watch the day dawn. Bible study is a great routine to establish every day. Even if you do your study later in the day, after quiet time, that’s okay. When we study the Bible we learn what God has planned for us. Spending time in His Word is the best way to stay close to God and have the Peace of Christ living in your spirit every day.

Also make time for worship. We generally think of worship as singing and that’s one kind of worship. Here’s a great playlist you might want to consider listening to – and sing along! Worship also means praising God for who He is and all He has done for us. I like to use the Psalms to worship God along with the Psalmist. There is a Psalm for every life situation, and they all follow a general format of praising God and thanking Him for all He has done. God’s character is revealed throughout Scripture but especially in Psalms so praise Him for Who He is!

Final Encouragement

Trust God to carry your burdens – even the burdens of daily life. Remember not to lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) but trust God to clear a way in your life. He can remove the stress and fill you with a heavenly peace. In fact, He wants to do that! We just need to get ourselves out of the way and let him grant us His peace, especially during our post-holiday stress. Winter is a great time to start a new devotional and commit your year to the Lord.

Let’s pray: Dear Lord, thank you for a new year to love and serve You. Thank you for your Word that guides me and shows me how you want me to live. Please be with me this year. Draw me close to you and show me Your heart. I want to live a life you are happy with and a life that is pleasing to you. Grant me your peace as we start this new year. Help me to guide my family in faith, as well. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

With love,

🌸 Andrea

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