Songs on the radio, television specials, and a glut of holiday advertising— our culture’s message is clear as the glass on a snow globe: The ideal celebration can, and should, be yours. But reality is often different. For many people, the weeks leading up to Jesus’ birthday are fraught with tension and difficulty, and the pressure to have a picture-perfect holiday lingers not so subtly in the back of our minds. What we need is a different mindset.

A partially paralyzed man was having trouble navigating the store aisle crowded with holiday shoppers. As he passed me, the bustling crowds pushed us toward each other, and I heard him whisper shyly, “Merry Christmas.” His body was broken, but he radiated peace.

I was reminded that Christmas is about God’s peace coming to dwell in the midst of our imperfections. After all, that first Noel didn’t seem perfect. No woman wants to give birth surrounded by farm animals. Riding a donkey in the ninth month of pregnancy doesn’t rank high on anyone’s list, either. But every detail, every inconvenience and indignity, was part of God’s mysterious plan.

We can get caught up in the myth of a perfect celebration when it reflects what we want for ourselves. But Christmas is about the truest gift: peace in a fallen world and the call to trust in God’s plan.

And the big day comes whether we’re ready or not. Though the thought may strike fear in some, this, too, is God’s grace. His blessings aren’t held captive by busy schedules. Peace is not a reward for those who wrap up everything by December 24. There can be no mad rush, no frantic preparations for the real spirit of Christmas; it simply fills our hearts as we are and where we are. Much the same, Christ did not need to finish our work before He could save us. God’s salvation has always found us in the most unlikely of places and conditions—even kneeling at a manger in a stable.

And that is an unlikely place to be, indeed, especially for a new mother. I often think that if Joseph had planned better, they could have gotten to Bethlehem earlier. They might have gotten a room. Mary would have been more comfortable. The whole situation seemed to be a frustrating mess.

But in that stable, God celebrated the birth of His child and the culmination of centuries of waiting and preparation. If anyone had a right to demand that everything be perfect on that day, it was God. Perhaps the Father wanted privacy—an intimate, quiet setting for the birth of His Son. After all, if Mary had gotten a room in the inn, she would have been surrounded by people. But God gave us Jesus on His terms and in His way. If that first Christmas morning seemed less than ideal, it was something else entirely. It was divine.

You may not spend Christmas morning in a stable. You may get a room at the inn. You may even finish your shopping and bake the cookies and decorate the tree. But should your body become weary, if your path becomes difficult, and if nothing goes as planned, remember that you can embrace Christmas right where you are. Reject the false promises of perfection. You don’t have to wait for peace, because peace didn’t wait for you. It is here now. Kneel at the manger and see.

It is Jesus.

Songs on the radio, television specials, and a glut of holiday advertising— our culture’s message is clear as the glass on a snow globe: The ideal celebration can, and should, be yours. But reality is often different. For many people, the weeks leading up to Jesus’ birthday are fraught with tension and difficulty, and the pressure to have a picture-perfect holiday lingers not so subtly in the back of our minds. What we need is a different mindset.

A partially paralyzed man was having trouble navigating the store aisle crowded with holiday shoppers. As he passed me, the bustling crowds pushed us toward each other, and I heard him whisper shyly, “Merry Christmas.” His body was broken, but he radiated peace.

I was reminded that Christmas is about God’s peace coming to dwell in the midst of our imperfections. After all, that first Noel didn’t seem perfect. No woman wants to give birth surrounded by farm animals. Riding a donkey in the ninth month of pregnancy doesn’t rank high on anyone’s list, either. But every detail, every inconvenience and indignity, was part of God’s mysterious plan.

We can get caught up in the myth of a perfect celebration when it reflects what we want for ourselves. But Christmas is about the truest gift: peace in a fallen world and the call to trust in God’s plan.

And the big day comes whether we’re ready or not. Though the thought may strike fear in some, this, too, is God’s grace. His blessings aren’t held captive by busy schedules. Peace is not a reward for those who wrap up everything by December 24. There can be no mad rush, no frantic preparations for the real spirit of Christmas; it simply fills our hearts as we are and where we are. Much the same, Christ did not need to finish our work before He could save us. God’s salvation has always found us in the most unlikely of places and conditions—even kneeling at a manger in a stable.

And that is an unlikely place to be, indeed, especially for a new mother. I often think that if Joseph had planned better, they could have gotten to Bethlehem earlier. They might have gotten a room. Mary would have been more comfortable. The whole situation seemed to be a frustrating mess.

But in that stable, God celebrated the birth of His child and the culmination of centuries of waiting and preparation. If anyone had a right to demand that everything be perfect on that day, it was God. Perhaps the Father wanted privacy—an intimate, quiet setting for the birth of His Son. After all, if Mary had gotten a room in the inn, she would have been surrounded by people. But God gave us Jesus on His terms and in His way. If that first Christmas morning seemed less than ideal, it was something else entirely. It was divine.

You may not spend Christmas morning in a stable. You may get a room at the inn. You may even finish your shopping and bake the cookies and decorate the tree. But should your body become weary, if your path becomes difficult, and if nothing goes as planned, remember that you can embrace Christmas right where you are. Reject the false promises of perfection. You don’t have to wait for peace, because peace didn’t wait for you. It is here now. Kneel at the manger and see.

It is Jesus.