“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” (Matthew 2:10).

When I think of something that brings me joy, it doesn’t usually include months of walking on a cross-country journey. With that being said, it is estimated that the wise men walked anywhere from 500-900 miles over the course of multiple months as they sought to meet the newborn king (Matthew 2). This trek seems even more daunting considering the weather and conditions they would have faced on a journey of that magnitude, yet the wise men weren’t fazed. They were not basing their joy on current circumstances; rather, they were basing their joy on Christ and encountering Him.

Too often in the business of life, especially during the holiday seasons, we allow our circumstances to dictate our emotions. When we fall into this trap, the season can become like a roller coaster of emotions, taking us all over the place. One minute, life is fantastic as you’re enjoying Christmas rituals like driving around and seeing Christmas lights. Then the next moment, you are in dismay as you realize that money is going to be tight and you try to figure out gifts for your kids.

The reality is that the only true joy we can find in this life is through a relationship with Jesus Christ. As we enter into the Christmas season, we should take a lesson from the wise men: let Christ be the decider of our joy, not the circumstances we are currently walking though.